Joanne Rogers, widow of famed children’s television host Fred Rogers, has died at the age of 92, the unprofitable man who founded her late husband announced Thursday.
Joanne Rogers was married to Fred Rogers for more than 50 years until his death in 2003 due to stomach cancer. She was the chairman of Fred Rogers Productions after her husband’s death, the company said Thursday.
“Joanne was a brilliant and capable musician, a wonderful advocate of the arts, and a dear friend to everyone in our organization,” said Fred Rogers Productions. “We express our deepest condolences to Joanne’s family and the thousands of people who have had the privilege of knowing and loving her.”
The couple met while Fred Rogers went to Rollins College in Florida and kept in touch after moving to New York City for a producer’s assistant job. Joanne Rogers told the NBC News show “Today” in 2018 that her husband suggested in a letter while she was at Florida State University last year.
They had two children, James and John.
Joanne Rogers became the custodian of her husband’s legacy as the beloved host of ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’, which finally allowed his life to be commemorated in the 2018 documentary ‘Will you not be my neighbor’
She told the Los Angeles Times that her biggest request from the filmmakers was that her husband would not be a saint, but as an ordinary man who made his mark through the simplicity of kindness.
“He’s out there now as someone who somehow stands out above all of us,” Joanne Rogers said. “People always say, ‘Well, I can’ t do that, but I definitely admire him. I’d love to do that. ‘ “Well, you can do it. I’m convinced there are a lot of Fred Rogerses.”
Tom Hanks has been nominated for an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Fred Rogers in the 2019 film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
The city of Pittsburgh, where ‘Mr. Rogers ‘Neighborhood’ was produced and where Fred Rogers lived the rest of his life, Thursday tweeted that Joanne Rogers was “one of Pittsburgh’s biggest neighbors.”
“Joanne and Fred changed our city forever.”
After Fred Rogers’ death in February 2003, his widow told Pittsburgh’s “NightTalk” that he had been in pain for months. Joanne Rogers said she told her husband when it was finally time to let go.
So there was a sense of relief when I said to him, ‘You know, we’re fine. We are doing well, ‘she told the program. “The boys are doing well, and I’m going to try to do well.” So when he left, I could feel that he went in peace and even with joy. I really feel like he went with joy. ‘
