Joanne Rogers, widow of the beloved host, Fred Rogers, has died at age 92.
Joanne died on Thursday after being hospitalized for several days. David Newell, who portrayed Mr. McFeely on Fred Rogers’ longtime show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, confirmed the news.
Since Fred passed in 2003, Joanne dedicated her life to maintaining his legacy. As chair of the board of Fred Rogers Productions, Joanne continued to support families and children. Joanne was also a musician and an advocate for the arts. Fred Rogers Productions highlighted Joanne’s achievements in a touching statement on Facebook. The non-profit wrote:
“Fred Rogers Productions is deeply saddened by the passing of Joanne Rogers. The loving partner of Fred Rogers for more than 50 years, she continued their shared commitment to supporting children and families after his death as chair of the board of Fred Rogers Productions. 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.”
Relive Joanne talking about Fred, how he proposed, and the A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood documentary in the video below.