Editing Fred Rogers (section)

==Death and memorials==
After Rogers' retirement in 2001, he remained busy working with FCI, studying religion and spirituality, making public appearances, traveling, and working on a children's media center named after him at [[Saint Vincent College]] in Latrobe with Archabbot [[Douglas Robert Nowicki|Douglas Nowicki]], chancellor of the college.<ref>King, pp. 338, 344.</ref> By the summer of 2002, his chronic stomach pain became severe enough for him to see a doctor about it, and in October 2002, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.<ref>King, pp. 343–344.</ref> He delayed treatment until after he served as Grand Marshal of the 2003 [[Rose Parade]], with [[Art Linkletter]] and [[Bill Cosby]], in January.<ref>King, p. 344.</ref> On January 6, Rogers underwent stomach surgery. He died less than two months later, on February 27, 2003, less than a month short of his 75th birthday<ref>{{cite news |last=De Vinck |first=Christopher |title=My friend, Mr. Rogers |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2013/02/24/My-friend-Mr-Rogers/stories/201302240297 |access-date=July 5, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=February 24, 2013 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106131317/https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2013/02/24/My-friend-Mr-Rogers/stories/201302240297 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="postgazetteobit">{{cite news |last1=Owen |first1=Rob |last2=Vancheri |first2=Barbara |title=Fred Rogers dies at 74 |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030228rogersae1p1.asp |access-date=July 5, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=February 28, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134512/http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030228rogersae1p1.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> at his home in Pittsburgh, with his wife of 50 years, Joanne, at his side. While comatose shortly before his death, he received the [[Last rites|last rites of the Catholic Church]] from [[Archabbot]] Nowicki.<ref name="DeFranceso"/><ref name="postgazetteobit"/><ref>King, p. 348.</ref>

The following day, the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' covered Rogers' death on the front page and dedicated an entire section to his death and impact.<ref name="postgazetteobit"/> The newspaper also reported that by noon, the internet "was already full of appreciative pieces" by parents, viewers, producers, and writers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kalson |first=Sally |title=Lasting connection his legacy: Children felt Mister Rogers was talking just to them |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030228frconnectfnp6.asp |access-date=July 5, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=February 28, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134441/http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030228frconnectfnp6.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rogers' death was widely lamented. Most U.S. metropolitan newspapers ran his obituary on their front page and some dedicated entire sections to coverage of his death.<ref name="simonich"/> WQED aired programs about Rogers the evening he died; the ''Post-Gazette'' reported that the ratings for their coverage were three times higher than their normal ratings.<ref name="simonich"/> That same evening, ''[[Nightline]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] broadcast a rerun of a recent interview with Rogers; the program got the highest ratings of the day, beating the February average ratings of ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' and ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]''.<ref name="simonich">{{cite news |last=Simonich |first=Milan |title=Rogers' death gets front-page headlines |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030302fredcoverage6.asp |access-date=July 6, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=March 2, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134542/http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030302fredcoverage6.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> On March 4, the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] unanimously passed a resolution honoring Rogers sponsored by Representative [[Mike Doyle (American politician)|Mike Doyle]] from Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite news |last=McFeatters |first=Ann |title=It's a beautiful day in the U.S. House as Congress honors Fred Rogers |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030305rogers0305p4.asp |access-date=July 6, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=March 5, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134426/http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030305rogers0305p4.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On March 1, 2003, a private funeral was held for Rogers in Unity Chapel, which was restored by Rogers' father, at Unity Cemetery in Latrobe. About 80 relatives, co-workers, and close friends attended the service, which "was planned in great secrecy so that those closest to him could grieve in private".<ref name="privatefuneral">{{cite news |last=Rodgers-Melnick |first=Ann |title=Friends, relatives mourn death of Mr. Rogers |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030302rogers7.asp |access-date=July 6, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=March 2, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134602/http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030302rogers7.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> Reverend John McCall, pastor of the Rogers family's church, Sixth Presbyterian Church in [[Squirrel Hill]], gave the [[homily]]; Reverend William Barker, a retired Presbyterian minister who was a "close friend of Mr. Rogers and the voice of Mr. Platypus on his show",<ref name="privatefuneral"/> read Rogers' favorite Bible passages. Rogers was interred at Unity Cemetery in his hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in a [[mausoleum]] owned by his mother's family.<ref name="privatefuneral"/>

On May 3, 2003, a public memorial was held at [[Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts|Heinz Hall]] in Pittsburgh. According to the ''Post-Gazette'', 2,700 people attended. Violinist [[Itzhak Perlman]], cellist [[Yo-Yo Ma]] (via video), and organist [[Alan Morrison (organist)|Alan Morrison]] performed in honor of Rogers. Barker officiated the service; also in attendance were Pittsburgh philanthropist [[Elsie Hillman]], former ''[[Good Morning America]]'' host [[David Hartman (TV personality)|David Hartman]], ''[[The Very Hungry Caterpillar]]'' author [[Eric Carle]], and ''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'' creator [[Marc Brown (author)|Marc Brown]]. Businesswoman and philanthropist [[Teresa Heinz]], PBS President [[Pat Mitchell]], and executive director of The Pittsburgh Project Saleem Ghubril gave remarks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vancheri |first1=Barbara |last2=Owen |first2=Rob |title=Pittsburgh bids farewell to Fred Rogers with moving public tribute |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030504rogers0504p1.asp |access-date=July 6, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=May 4, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134558/http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030504rogers0504p1.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Jeff Erlanger]], who at age 10 appeared on ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'' in 1981 to explain his electric wheelchair, also spoke.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vancheri |first=Barbara |title=Memorable guest: It's you, Fred, that I like |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030504erlanger0504p3.asp |access-date=July 6, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=May 4, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134638/http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030504erlanger0504p3.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> The memorial was broadcast several times on Pittsburgh television stations and websites throughout the day.<ref>{{cite news |last=Owen |first=Rob |title=Appreciation: Mister Rogers will always be part of our neighborhood |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/tv/20030503rogers0503fnp4.asp |access-date=July 6, 2019 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=May 3, 2003 |archive-date=January 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106134416/http://old.post-gazette.com/tv/20030503rogers0503fnp4.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:MrRogersStatue2023.jpg|thumb|Statue of Fred Rogers, Pittsburgh 2023.]]