University community mourns loss of Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno adresses the media, Oct. 29, 2011. Credit: Annemarie Mountz

Source: Penn State Live; January 22, 2012

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania State University and college athletics mourns the passing of Joseph V. Paterno, the winningest coach in the history of major college football.

Paterno, who turned 85 last month, passed away today (Jan. 22) surrounded by his family at Mount Nittany Medical Center, near the University Park campus. The legendary teacher, mentor and humanitarian had been diagnosed with lung cancer last November and recently had been hospitalized.

A member of the Penn State coaching staff for 62 seasons, Paterno tremendously impacted the lives of thousands of current and former Penn State students, student-athletes and staff, Nittany Lion fans, State College community members and followers of college athletics. The Nittany Lions' head football coach for nearly 46 years, he was among the first three active coaches to be inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Hall of Fame, in 2007.

Paterno passionately and vigorously served the Penn State football program and the university with principle, distinction and success with honor since matriculating to State College in 1950 as a motivated and enthusiastic 23-year-old with Rip Engle, his head coach at Brown University. After 16 years as an assistant coach under Engle, Paterno was named Penn State's 14th head football coach on Feb. 19, 1966, when Engle retired.

Read the full story at Penn State Live.