Andy Rooney

Andy Rooney died yesterday at age 92. Recognized for his contributions to 60 minutes "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney". It didn't matter how bad the programming was that evening. Viewers would always forgo the last commercial to hear a few minutes of Andy's thoughts.
Andy was a reporter for Stars and Stripes newspaper covering the Eighth Air Force who bombed Germany. The casualties suffered by the Eighth are as legendary as the important damage they inflicted against Nazi Germany. Rooney was not required to actually fly missions. He did so out of respect for the Eighth. He new he couldn't live with himself had he not flown with them. It was the right thing to do. Like all Veterans of combat the message he learned would affect his entire career. Living in the freedom provided by those who died was always in his thoughts. The faces of those who never returned found a home in Andy.

You were never disappointed in his essay. His thoughts and observations of every day life spoke to the viewer who had experienced the same things in their lives. Could be good, could be negative. You weren't expected to agree with Andy. He seemed to like it better that way. Andy Rooney left a lot behind.