When Jon Provost sat down to speak about his beloved *Lassie* co-star June Lockhart, it wasn’t just an interview — it was a heartfelt farewell to a woman who helped shape his life.

Decades may have passed since they last stood together on set, but the memories came flooding back as he reflected on their time filming one of television’s most beloved shows.

“She was always in my heart,” he began softly, his voice filled with emotion that words could barely contain.

For millions of viewers, *Lassie* wasn’t just a show — it was a piece of Americana, a symbol of innocence, kindness, and family values that defined a generation.

But for Jon Provost, who played the young boy Timmy Martin, June Lockhart wasn’t simply his on-screen mother — she became a guiding presence off screen as well.

“She treated me as if I were her own,” he recalled. “Even when the cameras weren’t rolling, she was there — looking out for me, teaching me, laughing with me. She had this warmth that made everyone feel safe.”

As he spoke, it was clear that Lockhart’s influence went far beyond acting lessons or professional mentorship.

She modeled compassion and strength in a way that stayed with him long after the show ended.

“June was the kind of person who never needed to raise her voice to be heard,” Jon said. “She led with grace, and when you were around her, you wanted to be better. Not just a better actor — a better person.”

Their time together began in the late 1950s, when *Lassie* was at the height of its success.

The cast worked long hours on set, surrounded by cameras, bright lights, and the loyal collie who would become one of television’s most iconic animals.

But in between takes, the atmosphere often felt like a real family.

“June always brought joy to the set,” he said. “Even when the schedule was tough or when we were shooting outdoors in rough weather, she’d keep everyone’s spirits up. She had this laugh — this beautiful, infectious laugh — that you couldn’t help but join in.”

As years passed and the show became a piece of television history, both Jon and June moved on to other roles and other chapters in their lives.

Yet the connection between them never disappeared.

They stayed in touch through letters, holiday cards, and the occasional reunion.

Every time they met again, Jon said, it felt like no time had passed at all.

“She’d walk into a room and still have that same sparkle in her eyes,” he remembered. “It didn’t matter that decades had gone by — she was still June, the woman who made everyone feel like family.”

When news of June Lockhart’s passing reached him, Jon admitted that it felt like losing a piece of his own past.

“There’s a part of my childhood that lives in those moments on *Lassie*,” he said quietly. “And she’s at the center of it. Without her, it wouldn’t have been the same. She brought a kind of magic to it — the kind that stays with you for life.”

He shared how they had spoken not long before her passing.

It was a simple conversation, filled with laughter and memories rather than sadness.

“She told me she was proud of me,” he recalled, his voice cracking slightly. “And I told her she’d always be my mom — not just on TV, but in my heart.”

Those words, he said, were the last they ever shared.

In reflecting on her legacy, Jon spoke not only of her talent but of her humanity — her quiet generosity, her wit, and her unwavering kindness.

“She never cared about fame or attention,” he said. “She cared about people. She made everyone around her feel like they mattered.”

Even now, years after their time together on *Lassie*, Jon says he still feels her presence whenever he looks back on that part of his life.

“When I see old clips or photos, I can almost hear her voice — calm, kind, and full of love,” he said. “She’s part of who I am. She always will be.”

Fans of *Lassie* have shared in his grief and gratitude, flooding social media with tributes and memories of how June Lockhart’s performances touched their lives.

To them, she was the perfect embodiment of a nurturing mother — wise, gentle, and strong.

To Jon Provost, she was all that and more.

“June taught me that family isn’t just about blood,” he said. “It’s about the people who show up for you, who lift you up, and who love you without condition.”

As he looked back over his long career, he admitted that no role, no experience, and no success ever quite compared to those years on *Lassie*.

“They were the happiest days of my life,” he said. “And she made them that way.”

In his final words of tribute, Jon paused for a long moment, gathering himself before speaking softly.

“June Lockhart was my TV mom,” he said. “But she was also my friend, my teacher, and my heart. She’ll always be with me — always in my heart.”

And in that moment, it was clear that while Hollywood may remember June Lockhart as a star, Jon Provost remembers her simply as love personified — the woman who turned a television set into a family home that still lives on in the hearts of millions.