I have dreaded this day for a very long time. Walter Cronkite is gone, and a piece of American history is gone as well. Although I wasn't living when Will Rogers or Mark Twain died, I suspect he feeling would have been similar.

My early television memories, in Alexandria, VA, are of CBS News with Walter Cronkite. As a 6 year old kid, my favorite time of the evening was when we watched Walter before or after dinner.

He was so trusted and kind. You'd rather hear sad breaking news from Walter than anyone else. When he announced that President  Kennedy had passed away, we all cried with him. He was real, and the last of his kind.

When visiting New York in the late 90s, I had dined with a friend at Le Circ 2000. As we were leaving two couples were entering the restaurant. I heard that wonderful, distinctive voice of Walter Cronkite's. As he held the door open, I looked at him and said, "It's so good to see you", as if we had been long time friends. He laughed and said that he was our doorman for the night.

I usually don't pay much attention when I see famous people, but Walter Cronkite was something quite different. I went out into the courtyard saying, "Wa, Wa, Wa, Walter Cronkite".

I loved the man.