Betty White passed away Dec. 31, weeks shy of her 100th birthday. White was best known for her long career in film and television, but in the Forest Service, she was also known as a dedicated honorary forest ranger.

Chief Randy Moore said of White, "We lost a trusted forest ambassador and good friend with Betty's passing. Her legacy will live on in the countless people she inspired from all walks of life."

Betty White said that, as a child, she aspired to be a forest ranger. Yet she grew up in an era where women weren't known to pursue such careers. In 2010, the agency named her honorary forest ranger at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Although in her 80s by that time, White was dedicated to making the most of the honorary position.

White's dedication to conservation led her to record public service announcements with Smokey Bear in 2013 as part of the "One Less Spark" campaign, as well as one with the Ad Council to celebrate Smokey Bear's 75th birthday.

When named honorary forest ranger in 2010, White said, "Wilderness is getting harder and harder to find these days on our beautiful planet and we’re abusing our planet to the point of almost no return. In my heart I’ve been a forest ranger all my life, but now I’m official."