Darlene Cates, American actress, Died at 69

  Actor

Darlene Cates was born Rita Darlene Guthrie on December 13, 1947, in Borger, Texas and died on March 26, 2017.

She was an American actress.

Cates was best known for her role in the 1993 film What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, in which she played the title character’s housebound mother.

Darlene grew up in Dumas.

Cates underwent gastroplasty in 1981, when she weighed 408 lb (29 st 2 lb or 185 kg).

Cates lost 99 lb (7 st 1 lb or 45 kg) but eventually gained the weight back and more, topping out at 548 lb (39 st 2 lb or 249 kg).

She married Robert Cates, a U.S. Marine, on January 11, 1963.

Gates had one daughter, Sheri Ann (b. January 1966), and two sons, Mark (b. October 1967) and Chris (b. 1971).

Darlene had four grandchildren and lived in the Dallas suburbs.

Darlene Cates passed away at 69 years old.