Eartha Kitt's daughter Kitt Shapiro has spoken to The Enquirer about her mother's last days.
Shapiro, who nursed Kitt around the clock for the last weeks of her life, is quoted as saying: "I had the most amazing mother. She was not afraid of dying. She was in pain, but funny right to the end. One of the last things she said when I was talking loudly to her - like you do to a sick person - was: 'I'm dying. I'm not losing my hearing!'"
Kitt died on Christmas Day at the age of 81, after suffering with colon cancer for several years.
Born Eartha Mae Keith in South Carolina, she began her career as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company before achieving renown in the fifties with hits like 'Santa Baby' and her version of 'Let's Do It'.
She was also active in the film and TV world in addition to her singing career, and took a number of roles on Broadway. Her career suffered in the sixties, however, mainly as a result of her public opposition to the Vietnam war.