Throughout the vast neighborhood he created with his trademark gentle voice and manner, children's show host Fred Rogers' death at age 74 stirred childhood memories of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" and adult appreciation of the nurturing warmth of his program.
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Post-Gazette illustration by Daniel Marsula |
On television he was ever tolerant and always understanding, and that carried over to his humble real-life demeanor. His persona was no act. There are no stories of him turning into a raging tyrant behind-the-scenes. By all accounts, he was the same soft-spoken person on the air and off.
"It's been a privilege to pass on the good stuff that was given to me, and television has really been a fine vehicle for that," Rogers said before recording his last episode of the "Neighborhood" in fall 2000. He pointed to a frame on the wall of his office: "Life Is for Service."
"Those of us in broadcasting have a special calling to give whatever we feel is the most nourishing that we can for our audience," Rogers said. "We are servants of those who watch and listen."
In these articles from continuing news coverage and from a special section in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published Feb. 28, 2003, writers, artists and photographers chronicle the reaction to Rogers' passing and the breadth of his legacy.