Mothers do so much good for their kids that much of it inevitably -- and unfortunately -- goes unnoticed.

But some famous mom feats rise up to the point where nothing can overshadow them. Such monumental efforts can quickly elevate a mom to the Mother's Hall of Fame level.

If we had our way, such a group would include moms of all kinds, from well-known mothers such as Toni Morrison, Rose Kennedy and, yes, even Angelina Jolie down to the soccer mom struggling with a SUV full of feisty kids headed to practice.

However, with Mother's Day nearly here, we forced ourselves to settle on five iconic mothers who would be among our first choices for moms who famously went above and beyond the call of duty -- in addition to our own dear sweet moms, of course.

Up First: The Ageless Athlete Mom >>