'I am humbled and moved': Rather celebrates 90th birthday

Broadcast news icon Dan Rather recently celebrated his 90th birthday on Oct. 31.

"Please join us in wishing legendary native Houstonian Dan Rather a happy and blessed 90th birthday," Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George wrote in a Nov. 2 Twitter post. "Your passion for the truth has made this country a better place."

A Sam Houston State University graduate, Rather is best known for his award winning longtime work with CBS News, according to Famous Birthdays. He worked as a CBS news anchor for 24 years and as a correspondent for 60 Minutes. For decades he signed off the air every evening with the word "courage."

In 1963, Rather was the first network television journalist to report that President John F. Kennedy had succumbed to an assassin's bullet.

"Thank you to everyone who expressed birthday wishes. 90! I can attest that's a LOT of real estate on the cake for candles. But the real brightness comes from going through this life with all of you. I am humbled and moved," Rather wrote in a Nov. 1 Twitter post.

Rather has been married to Jean Goebel since 1957 and the couple have a daughter named Robin and a son named Danjack.