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Fred Rogers (1928-2003) aka "Mister Rogers," was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he pursued a career in religious studies as he completed a Bachelor of Divinity. Shortly after graduating, however, he changed his mind and entered the television industry. The rest is history. He once explained to CNN why he decided to build a career in showbiz. He said: "I went into television because I hated it so, and I thought there's some way of using this fabulous instrument to nurture those who would watch and listen."
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Fred Rogers also attended Rollins College, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music. During his time at the Florida-based private collage he met Sara Joanne Byrd, who would eventually become his wife.
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Rogers got his first TV jobs in 1951, when he worked as a floor director of a number of NBC shows, including 'Your Hit Parade' and 'The Gabby Hayes' children's show.
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In 1952 he and Joanne tied the knot and remained married until 2003, when he died.But who was she? Joanne Rogers was a very talented pianist who earned a Bachelor of Music from Rollins, as well as Master of Music from Florida State University.
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Fred and Joanne Rogers had two children together: Jim and John Rogers, born in 1959 and 1961, respectively. Surprisingly, both of them appeared in a couple episodes of their dad's shows 'Mister Rogers' and 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'.
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In a 2003 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Joanne Rogers reflected on the book 'The World According to Fred Rogers', written by her husband and published the same year he passed. She said: "This book is such a gift to me; I will never cease to be grateful for it. He was my icon before he was anybody else’s."
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In 2019 premiered 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood', a biographical drama film revolving around the life and times of Fred Rogers, with Tom Hanks playing him. After the film's release, Fred and Joanne's son John told The New York Times that his father was a big Tom Hanks fan and that he would have probably chosen him to portray him.
John also revealed that his mother became good friends with Hanks, as she visited the set of 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' very often.
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In 2001, Fred announced his retirement. By 2002 he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and struggled with multiple symptoms ever since.
In a 2004 interview with the Post-Gazette, Joanne explained how tough her beloved husband's final days were and how she helped him find some peace by telling him everything would be alright. She said: "[I told him:] 'You know, we’re going to be OK. The boys will be fine, and I’m going to try to be fine'."
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On January 6, 2003, following his cancer diagnosis, Fred Rogers underwent stomach surgery. Sadly, he experienced complications and died a couple weeks later, on February 27. He was 74 and passed with his beloved Joanne at his side at their Pittsburgh home. His private funeral took place on March 1, with Reverend William Barker reading Rogers' favorite Bible passages.
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On January 14, 2021, Fred's widow Joanne Rogers passed away at age 92. The tragic news was announced on Fred Rogers Productions' Instagram account. The post read: "Joanne was a brilliant and accomplished musician, a wonderful advocate for the arts, and a dear friend to everyone in our organization. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Joanne’s family and the thousands of people who had the privilege of knowing and loving her."
As per Deadline, she died from heart issues at her Pittsburgh home.
Fred Rogers was a television personality and author, better known for creating the children's TV series 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood', which he hosted from 1968 to 2001.
Apart from his on-screen career, Fred Rogers was also a family man, as he was married to Joanne Rogers for over five decades and shared two sons with her.
How exactly did Fred and Joanne meet and when they did tie the knot?
Read on and learn more about their adorable love story here!