Los Angeles, Feb 22 (IANS): Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielbergs mother Leah Adler, known for operating The Milky Way restaurant, died at her home here. She was 97.

Adler was surrounded by her children during her death on Tuesday, reports variety.com.

Adler, known as Lee Lee to her family and friends, was born in Cincinnati to Philip Posner and Jennie (Fridman) Posner. She developed a love for music when she learned piano at the age of five and later studied at the Music Conservatory in Cincinnati.

In 1945, she married Arnold Meyer Spielberg and they had four children -- Steven, Anne, Sue and Nancy.

Arnold Spielberg's work as an electrical engineer kept the family on the move from Cincinnati to Haddonfield, New Jersey, where they lived for seven years before relocating to Phoenix in 1957. There she often performed piano solos and owned an art gallery, becoming known as "the lady with the Peter Pan haircut".

Spielberg mentioned his mother in his acceptance speech for winning the Academy Award for Best Director in 1994 for "Schindler's List", calling her his "lucky charm", variety.com said.

Adler is survived by her four children and 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.