Last week we received word that my wife’s childhood babysitter had passed away. She was 94 years old, and by all indications had lived a full life.

I aspire.

Though my wife had not seen her in over 20 years it was still sad. A death is always sad, regardless of whether it’s expected, surprising, or involves someone you hadn’t talked to in years.

Or you knew him but he didn’t know you.

Enter one of my childhood babysitters, Bob McGrath.

Truth be told I never met Bob McGrath. I just hung out with him every afternoon for a solid decade or so. Like my wife and her former babysitter I hadn’t seen Bob in over 20 years (closer to 30, actually), but news of his death this week was as sad as if I’d just seen him ’round the old neighborhood.

The neighborhood?

Sesame Street, of course.

Bob McGrath played “Bob” on Sesame Street for nearly half a century, and was one of the show’s most popular humans for several generations of fans. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, McGrath was an accomplished musician and actor, but everyone knows him simply as “Bob” from Sesame Street. By all accounts he was just as kind and gentle in real life as he was on the show; the sweater wasn’t an affectation. He’d been married to Mrs. McGrath since 1958 and they had five children and eight grandchildren on top of the millions who saw him as such on TV. Basically he’s the reason Mr. Rogers rarely came to Sesame Street; they already had a Mr. Rogers.

R.I.P. Bob McGrath. Thanks for the memories.