Thaindian News

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) — Barbara Billingsley, best known for the role as “June Cleaver” on the popular 50s sit-com ‘Leave It To Beaver’, died at her California home on Saturday. She was 94.

Family spokeswoman Judy Twersky said Billingsley died at her home in Santa Monica on Saturday after a long illness, but gave no other details about her passing. She had been suffering from rheumatoid disease.

Glenn Billingsley, Barbara’s first husband, said he was proud of her ex wife. “Our mom was truly the best mother,” he said. “She was every bit as nurturing, classy, and lovely as ‘June Cleaver’ and we were so proud to share her with the world.”

Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver on ‘Leave It To Beaver’, said America’s ‘favorite mother’ is now gone. “I feel very fortunate to have been her ’son’ for 11 years,” he said. “We were wonderful friends and I will miss her very much. My deepest sympathies to her sons, Glenn and Drew, and her entire family.”

Billingsley was born on December 22, 1915 in Los Angeles and began her career as a model in New York City in 1936. She was under contract to MGM in 1945 before becoming a household name with the launch of ‘Leave It To Beaver’ in 1957.

She was married to Glenn Billingsley, of whom she had two children, from 1940 to 1946. Her second husband Roy Kellino died of a heart attack in 1956 after a few years of marriage since 1958. Billingsley was also married to Dr. William Mortensen from 1959 until his death in 1981.

She is survived by her two sons, Drew Billingsley of Granada Hills and Glenn Billingsley of Phillips Ranch. She was pre-deceased by her sister Betty McLaughlin of Rancho Palos Verdes.

A private memorial in Santa Monica is being planned.