June Allyson, star of stage, film and television, has died at the age of 88, her daughter announced on Monday.

Millions will remember June Allyson as the “girl next door”, the image of the perfect sweetheart and wife. The personal struggles never showed through that engaging smile.

Born Ella Geisman in New York on October 17, 1917, her childhood abruptly came to an end when at the age of 8 she was crippled in a freak accident when a tree limb fell on her. Her father having abandoned the family, her mother battled on alone to pay for medical bills and therapy. June struggled bravely and not only walked but learned to dance and started out upon a career that would span six decades.

For the past 20 years, June has been known to television viewers as the spokeswoman for Depends, a product for adult sufferers of incontinence. But she was much more than a mere paid spokeswoman. Kimberley-Clarke, the makers of Depends, established The June Allyson Foundation that supports research into the causes and treatment of adult incontinence with grants for research and educatioin programs.

June passed away in her home in Ojai, California on July 8, 2006.