Fred Rogers, who gently invited millions of children to be his neighbor as host of the public television show ``Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'' for more than 30 years, died of cancer early Thursday morning Feb. 27, 2003 at his Pittsburgh home. He was 74. Rogers was born in Latrobe, 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Early in his career, Rogers was an unseen puppeteer in ``The Children's Corner,'' a local show he helped launch at WQED in 1954. In seven years of …showed first 75 words of 661 total…

…showed last 75 words of 661 total…given a George Foster Peabody Award in 1993, ``in recognition of 25 years of beautiful days in the neighborhood.'' At a ceremony marking the show's 25th anniversary that year, Rogers said, ``It's not the honors and not the titles and not the power that is of ultimate importance. It's what resides inside.'' One of Rogers' red sweaters hangs in the Smithsonian Institution. His wife, Joanne, a concert pianist; two sons; and two grandsons survive Rogers.