For generations the long-running news program "60-minutes" featured a hardened, crusty, cantankerous and sometimes self-deprecating commentator in the last five minutes of the show. Many Americans tuned in just to watch what Andy Rooney had to say/spout off about/spew on each Sunday evening, never mind the other 55 minutes of investigative news that preceded it. It was Rooney's insight that Americans went to bed with and gathered over the water coolers the next day to discuss.

Last month Andy Rooney decided it was time to step down and bequeath his five minutes of fame every week to someone must younger and more suited to doing it. He wouldn’t say he was retiring, only moving on to other things.

"It's a sad day at '60 Minutes' and for everybody here at CBS News," said Jeff Fager, chairman of CBS News and the executive producer of "60 Minutes." "It's hard to imagine not having Andy around. He loved his life and he lived it on his own terms. We will miss him very much."

Rooney had announced on Oct. 2, 2011 in his 1,097th essay for "60 Minutes" that he would no longer appear regularly.

Most of the time Rooney, seemed very uncomfortable with the spotlight being shown on him throughout his career. When chided by 60 - minutes host Morely Safer on his last night about his rule not to give out autographs, Rooney stated in his no-none sense way, “Oh what kind of an idiot wants my name on a piece of paper.”

Morely described him as having the demeanor of an unmade bed and the personality of a curmudgeon. But there was no one else like Andy Rooney.

Not long after Rooney ended his long-running 60-minutes stint, it was learned that he was hospitalized due to complications from minor surgery. He died Friday night, much in the way he tried to live his life – without much fanfare, just getting the job done and not waiting around for any accolades.

Rooney, who began commenting on anything ranging from a pebble in his shoe to the meaning of life leaves behind four children. He was 92.

Let’s hope that Andy has found that meaning of life….and the meaning of the pebble in his shoe.