Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleCarsen HoladayMonday 01 June 2026 16:33 BSTCelebrating Fred Rogers at 10th annual Mister Rogers Family DaysJoe Negri, the acclaimed jazz musician and beloved Handyman Negri from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has died just days before his 100th birthday.His daughter, Lisa, confirmed to Pittsburgh's TribLIVE that her father passed away on Saturday from natural causes, having been due to turn 100 on 10 June.Negri was a fixture on Fred Rogers’ iconic children’s programme for over three decades, from 1968 until 2000, portraying a fix-it man and music shop owner in the Land of Make-Believe.Fred Rogers Productions issued a statement expressing profound sadness, praising Negri's warmth, musical talent, and gentle spirit, and acknowledging his role in teaching children that everyone's contributions matter.Beyond his television career, Negri was a lifelong musician who toured with swing bands as a teenager and later founded the jazz guitar programme at Duquesne University, where he taught until 2022.In fullMister Rogers’ Handyman Joe Negri dies days before his 100th birthdayThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in