Former stage, screen and television actress June Lockhart died at age 100 on Thursday at her Santa Monica, Calif., home, her family announced through spokesman Harlan Boll.
Lockhart died with daughter June Elizabeth and granddaughter Christianna at her side, her family said in a statement shared with NBC News.
"Mommy always considered acting as her craft, her vocation, but her true passions were journalism, politics, science and NASA," Elizabeth said.
"She cherished playing her role in 'Lost in Space' and she was delighted to know that she inspired many future astronauts, as they would remind her on visits to NASA," she added.
"That meant even more to her than the hundreds of television and movie roles she played."
Lockhart is best known for two television roles in which she played the mother of the lead cast in the popular shows "Lassie" and "Lost in Space."
Lockhart was born in New York City on June 25, 1925, to actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart and started her acting career at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1933 at age 8.
She was studying ballet when the producer of "Peter Ibbetson" asked her to play the character Mimsy.
Lockhart secured her first film role in 1938 in "A Christmas Carol," in which her parents were
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She replaced Cloris Leachman in 1958 as foster mother Ruth Martin to foster son Timmy Martin in "Lassie," which she continued through the 1964 season for CBS, according to Variety.
Lockhart then transitioned to her role as biochemist Dr. Maureen Robinson in the CBS series "Lost in Space," which ran from 1965to 1968 and long afterward in syndication.
She guest-starred in many other popular television productions, including "Petticoat Junction," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Happy Days," "General Hospital," and many more.
Her film credits include roles in "Meet Me in St. Louis," "Sergeant York" and "The Yearling," among several others.
Lockhart also won a Tony Award for best newcomer for her performance in "For Love or Money" at age 22.
She also was an animal rights activist who was the national spokeswoman for International Hearing Dog Inc. and supported the Santa Monica Mounted Police Horses.