Mary Kaltman
Cite this Page
"Mary Kaltman," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/1152.
- Positions
- Food Coordinator
- Housekeeper
- Years in President's House
- 1965 – 1969
- Legal Status
- Free Person
- Gender
- Female
- Race/Ethnicity
- White
- Presidency
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Biography
- Mary Kaltman was born in Texas on May 13, 1913. (1) Before coming to the White House, Kaltman worked in the restaurant industry for many years. From managing an airport restaurant to a hotel restaurant in Austin, Texas, food and management were her passions. (2)
In 1965, Kaltman joined the staff at the White House as an executive housekeeper and food coordinator after visiting her hotel restaurant many times. (3) In her role, Kaltman worked with a team of seventy to keep the White House spotless for both the first family and the public visitors. On the housekeeping side, she made sure everything was methodical and consistent: with a full-time window washer, a strict dusting schedule, and vacuums whirring at seemingly all times, she ensured the White House was pristine for all who entered. (4) Mary also managed grocery shopping and the household budget with what Chief Usher J.B. West described as “the zeal of a home economist.” (5) Mary Kaltman resigned at the end of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency in 1969. (6)
After working in the White House, Kaltman authored an instructional book, Keeping Up With The Keeping House, where she drew on her experiences managing the White House and her own residence to advise women on how to manage their household properly.
Mary remained active in her Texas community, giving book talks at luncheons, or reminiscing on her time at the White House at country club programs. (8) Mary passed away in San Benito, Texas, on March 23, 2004. (9) - (1) Ancestry.com, "Mary Kaltman in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014," accessed May 14, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3693/records/72869859?_phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=Mary_Kaltman&birth=1913&death=2004&count=50&location=2&priority=usa&searchMode=advanced&successSource=Search&queryId=84bb071d-1bf4-4f9c-82b5-30dc3a71a6e1%27,%27successSource%27).
(2) “Bridge Results,” Valley Morning Star, October 9, 1960, [14] https://www.newspapers.com/image/44872349/?match=1&terms=%22Mary%20Kaltman%22; “Eat, Watch Planes: Airport Restaurant Is Open to All,” Column Name, The Austin American, April 30, 1961, [45] https://www.newspapers.com/image/384906417/?match=1&terms=%22Mary%20Kaltman%22; “Really Fresh: Seafood Dinner’s Deadline Tonight,” The Austin American, November 14, 1963, [17] https://www.newspapers.com/image/386383393/?match=1&terms=%22Mary%20Kaltman%22.
(3) J. B. West and Mary Lynn Kotz, Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies (New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1973) [294]; Mary Nell (Hughes) Kaltman, “Biographical Info Page,” LBJ Presidential Library, accessed May 15, 2025, https://www.discoverlbj.org/item/kaltmanm.
(4) Thomas J. Fleming, “She Makes the White House a Home,” The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH), June 4, 1967 [208] https://www.newspapers.com/image/104083172/.
(5) J. B. West and Mary Lynn Kotz, Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies (New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1973) [296].
(6) “White House Finally Gets a Housekeeper,” The Mobile Press (Mobile, AL), March 10, 1970, [12] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1168067004/?match=1&terms=%22Mary%20Kaltman%22.
(7) “An Express Feature,” Express-News (San Antonio, TX), June 27, 1971, [64] https://www.newspapers.com/image/62261210/?match=1&terms=%22Keeping%20up%20with%20keeping%20house%22.
(8) “Mary Kaltman To Be Speaker For 12-30 Club Luncheon,” Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, TX), September 3, 1972 [14] https://www.newspapers.com/image/42427198/?match=1&terms=%22Mary%20Kaltman%22; “Scheduled Meetings,” Austin American-Statesman (Austin, TX), November 11, 1973 [67] https://www.newspapers.com/image/387053194/?match=1&terms=%22Mary%20Kaltman%22.
(9) Ancestry.com, "Mary Kaltman in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014," accessed May 14, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3693/records/72869859?_phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=Mary_Kaltman&birth=1913&death=2004&count=50&location=2&priority=usa&searchMode=advanced&successSource=Search&queryId=84bb071d-1bf4-4f9c-82b5-30dc3a71a6e1%27,%27successSource%27). - Birthplace
- Texas, USA