Mister Rogers...

                        Fred Rogers 1928-2003

When I was still a child, living in the sadness, unpredictability, and violence of my unstable parents, besides trying to make sense of the terrible ridicule I had to endure with being a Little Person, there was someone whose presence helped make a huge difference in my life each day.  Someone who became a comforting presence.  Someone who had an impact from the other side of the television screen...and this was Mister Rogers.

Many years later, as an adult, I wrote a letter to him, sharing my life, and telling what his presence meant to me.  Most of all, thanking him.  I also included gifts of my prints out at that time.  Though I didn't expect a reply, I hoped he would be blessed to know the impact he had upon my life.

Well, I did receive a reply.  A very heartfelt letter of gratitude for what my letter, my life, and art meant to him.  Thus began a very touching friendship through the years I deeply treasured.

Everything Mister Rogers is on television, Fred Rogers is in person.  A dear and very gifted man.  A minister, and amazing musician.  A dear husband, father, grandfather, friend.

 Briefly, Fred was born and raised in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.  He earned a bachelor's degree in music composition from Rollins College where he graduated magna cum laude.  After graduating from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, he became a Presbyterian minister in 1963.  In 1968 Fred created Mister Rogers' Neighborhood which ran for 33 years and was highly praised for focusing on children's emotional and physical concerns.

Fred Rogers was born on 20 March 1928.  His Dad was a successful businessman and his Mom knitted, and did volunteer work.  All the sweaters Fred wears during the long run of his program were knitted by his mother.  Originally the sweaters were button up ones, yet because Fred often got the buttons out of sync and retakes would need to be done, his Mom knitted him zipper sweaters from then on, so he wouldn't have anymore sync problems.  Sometimes I would affectionately tease him about this "out of sync" issue he had.

Many did not know that Fred's childhood was a very lonely, difficult one, because he was so shy, introverted, was overweight, had terrible bouts with asthma which made him homebound.  Even worse, he was bullied and ridiculed as a child for his weight which we often talked about a great deal since he understood what being ridiculed was.  Thankfully though, his  parents were very loving and always encouraging him.

Because of his lonely childhood, and being an only child, Fred created fantasy worlds within his bedroom with his puppets, stuffed animals, and ventriloquist dummy.  In addition to playing the piano.

By the time Fred got to High School, he had lost his weight, and found ways to overcome his shyness so successfully, he became President Of Student Council and was very active in school.

Because television was new back then, Fred wanted to find a way to use it to minister to children and their families, rather than pastor a church.  Thus, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood began airing nationally in 1968 and ran for 895 episodes.  The shows were taped at WQED in Pittsburgh, and then broadcast by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). 

The well known sets and props like the trolley, his sneakers, and the castle were created by designers and producers.  However, the beloved puppets used, were Fred's own from his childhood.  Yet it's Fred's quiet way, that so endeared him to children, and adults.  Nothing changed for the entire run of Mister Rogers, other than the story lines.

The stories and lessons told during each week take place through the episodes of that week, involving all human and puppet characters.  Fred did all the puppets, and even voiced them all too.

At age 73 in 2001, Fred retired.  The final episode aired 31 August 2001.  Just days before 911 happened.  Because of the horror of the tragedy, Fred immediately came out of retirement and did episodes to comfort the children...but which also became a tremendous comfort for adults too.  Those of us who knew him felt like the magnitude of the events of 911 took a toll on Fred, as they did us all.

In the late Fall of 2002, Fred was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and passed away on the 27th of February 2003, not long before what would have been his 75th birthday.

Fred and his dear wife Joanne, met while both studied music at Rollins, and were married for fifty years at the time of his death.  They had two sons, John and James, and three grandchildren.

Fred Roger's legacy will forever live on though.  And in my heart, he remains.🐎😃🐎💕💫