The Passing of a Legend - Andy Griffith

Andy Griffith - June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012

      As I watched a rerun of Matlock, starring Andy Griffith, I heard he had died. I felt I had lost a dear friend, even though I never had the chance to meet him.

      I'll never forget my first "introduction" to him, a recording of "What It Was, Was Football." 

      As the sheriff of Mayberry, he made viewers feel that a place of safety did exist.

          Andy, a talented, intelligent, and gifted man, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (North Carolina) with a bachelor of music degree. He taught English for a few years and began to write.

      His talent led him to movies, Broadway, and television. Though his roles often had him play a "country boy," his characters had an underlying level of shrewdness. A Grammy winning gospel singer, often his shows gave him a chance to show his musical talent, too. He directed and produced. Yes, Andy Griffith was multi-talented.


         After he left The Andy Griffith show and Mayberry in 1968, Andy spent time in rehabilitation because Guillain-Barré syndrome left his legs paralyzed. However, he returned to television in 1986 as Matlock, which lasted nine seasons.

        Rest in Peace, Andy, we will miss you.Your shows and characters gave us hope, and nothing I've even read or heard about you make me think your life didn't give the world the same hope.