Andy Rooney, 1919-2011

After only a month of retirement, Any Rooney has passed away at the age of 92 due to complications following a minor surgery.  For anyone who was a fan of his work in journalism or his weekly segment on “60 Minutes,” this is a significant loss.  With his dry wit and adorable crankiness, he brought a bit of laughter and reflection into our homes every week–from quips on clutter to lectures about proper letter writing, he always had something to say.

Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes

Born in Albany, New York, in 1919, Rooney attended Colgate University before being drafted into the Army in 1941, where he began his career in the newspaper business as a reporter on WWII.  His memoir, My War, published in 1995, details the experiences he had as a correspondent.  In 1949, he started his long career with CBS doing radio and TV shows.  By 1978, he began his first commentaries on his “60 Minutes” segment, “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney.”  Although he might have been best known for his grumbling, on his last segment he said, “I’ve done a lot of complaining here, but of all the things I’ve complained about, I can’t complain about my life.”  Today, we remember him as a legendary news icon who helped shape the way we consume media.

For more information, take a look at this video released by CBS:  Andy Rooney