Television icon Andy Rooney has died.  Best known for his distinctive style as a cranky commentator on the popular CBS ‘60 Minutes’ television series, Rooney passed away Friday night.  According to CBS, Rooney died from complications following minor surgery in a New York City hospital.

Andrew Aitken Rooney

Born in 1919 in Albany, New York, Andrew “Andy” Rooney attended Colgate University until he was drafted in the United States Army just a few months before Pearl Harbor.   He became a correspondent for The Stars and Stripes and received a Bronze Star for reporting under fire during the battle of Saint-Lô in Normandy.    After his discharge, the award-winning Rooney joined CBS as a writer in 1949 and began his stint with ‘60 Minutes’ as a contributor with “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney” on July 2, 1978.

After nearly 1,100 segments, the talented writer/journalist/producer retired from ‘60 Minutes’ just last month.   His final segment aired on October 2, 2011.  Rooney said it was a moment he dreaded, “I wish I could do this forever.  I can’t, though.”   And in his typical, crotchety style, Rooney 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.”

One thing about this plain-spoken man – he didn’t pull any punches and told it like it was. His voice will be missed.    His wife of 62 years, Marguerite, passed away in 2004.  Andy Rooney is survived by four children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  He was 92.

Image courtesy of Stephenson Brown