PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Joanne Rogers, the widow of Pittsburgh icon Fred Rogers, has died, according to Fred Rogers Productions and the McFeely-Rogers Foundation. She was 92.
The couple was married for 50 years before Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fame, died in 2003 of stomach cancer at the age of 74.
After his death, Mrs. Rogers carried on his legacy of promoting kindness and understanding and making this a better world for children.
In 2019, she was given the George Romero Legacy Award at Steeltown Entertainment’s 2019 Elly Awards.
Steeltown said that Joanne preserved her husband’s legacy while also helping young filmmakers learn about film and media.
She has also been a very visible figure recently.
“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks as her husband, was released in 2019.
Of the movie, she said, “I loved it. I think Tom is a genius, almost. I want to give credit — Tom Hanks has gotten lots and lots of good press and he deserves every bit of it.”