With the rash of celebrity passings of late, I was struck by the amount of attention they receive, and by the way we glorify not so glorious people when they do. Lost in the hubbub of Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, and Farrah Faucet, I stumbled upon a small article that said Walter Cronkite is expected to pass shortly, as well. Will the nation mourn him the same way? If there is any justice, I pray we do. For if there is a public figure who deserves it more, I don’t know who he might be.

Walter Cronkite has been at the hub of some of the most historic events in our nations history over the last 60+ years. His has been a voice we know for that long. A voice of compassion, of reason. His was the voice that broke the shooting of President Kennedy…

And brought us the Apollo landing…

Cronkite joined CBS in 1950; the network was still in its infancy at that point. He was personally recruited by Edward R. Murrow. He was a ground breaker from the very beginning; the term anchor was created to describe Cronkite’s role at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, which marked the first nationally-televised convention coverage.

From 1953 to 1957, Cronkite hosted the CBS program You Are There, which reenacted historical events, using the format of a news report. His famous last line for these programs was: “What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times… and you were there.”

His accomplishments would take an article in itself to list. This is the man essentially credited with bringing about Watergate, and the man who first broke the news of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s passing. For generations, he was, self proclaimed, America’s old slipper… comfortable to just slip on.

Here, when he passes, is a man we should remember, as we, our parents, even our grandparents, all shared history with him. I pray that when his time comes shortly, whoever is chosen to announce it does so with the same grace, dignity, and respect that Walter did so many times before. For when he passes, a great piece of Americana does so along side him.

In closing, I leave you with his farewell statement….

“This is my last broadcast as the anchorman of The CBS Evening News; for me, it’s a moment for which I long have planned, but which, nevertheless, comes with some sadness. For almost two decades, after all, we’ve been meeting like this in the evenings, and I’ll miss that. But those who have made anything of this departure, I’m afraid have made too much. This is but a transition, a passing of the baton. A great broadcaster and gentleman, Doug Edwards, preceded me in this job, and another, Dan Rather, will follow. And anyway, the person who sits here is but the most conspicuous member of a superb team of journalists; writers, reporters, editors, producers, and none of that will change. Furthermore, I’m not even going away! I’ll be back from time to time with special news reports and documentaries, and, beginning in June, every week, with our science program, Universe. Old anchormen, you see, don’t fade away; they just keep coming back for more. And that’s the way it is: Friday, March 6, 1981. I’ll be away on assignment, and Dan Rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. Good night.”

Go in peace, Walter. America will miss you.