Spaw, I think you're right that Andy " could never have survived "retirement" any more than a turtle could survive without a shell. He was his work -- and his work gave voice to both the serious and "mundane" and everything in between for as long as most of us can remember. If there is an afterlife he's probably already telling the "boss" there what he has already found that he doesn't like."

Right on all counts.

It seems quite a few well-known people have died in recent months just shortly after "retiring." Sometimes, as in the case of Steve Jobs, I think they retired because they were dying. But sometimes, as I suspect may have been the case of Andy, I suspect having to "retire" precipitated their demise. Andy died of "complications following minor surgery" (according to a news broadcast I heard today).   Can't help wondering if losing your drive to live makes you susceptible to "complications following minor surgery" and the like.

I know the old curmudgeon was, well, pretty old. But I can't help seeing his death as premature and not really fair.

I'll miss Andy on 60 Minutes -- and had already started to do that.

Genie