On Saturday, Marcheline Bertrand, the mother of Angelina Jolie passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Bertrand, 56, had battled cancer for over 7.5 years. She was surrounded by her children, Angelina and her son James Haven, as well as Brad Pitt when she died.

“Marcheline was beautiful, caring and totally devoted to her children. I never saw her upset or sad, even after she was diagnosed with cancer,” Lea Hunter, who once dated Haven, tells PEOPLE. “She always treated me like a member of her family.”

Marcheline Bertrand had her two children with Oscar winning actor Jon Voight, but raised the two kids alone after the divorce. She had many small roles in movies, including 1983’s “The Man who Loved Women”.

She was overjoyed with her granddaugher Shiloh was born last May and she told People Magazine “My heart is overflowing with joy with the new arrival of Brad and Angelina’s third child. Maddox, Zahara and Shiloh are deeply loved children. They have very kind and caring parents who love and support each other in every way.”

A private funeral will be planned, but at this time there is no word when the memorial will take place. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers or gifts that donations be made to the Women’s Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai.