You may or may not have heard the sad news, but Bil Keane, creator of The Family Circus, passed away at the age of 89 on November 8.

Love it or hate it, The Family Circus is one of the most famous and treasured newspaper comics of all time. Yes, I know many people consider The Family Circus to be corny, but the strip has had a major impact on the funny pages since its launch in 1960.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bil Keane back in 2000 at the Reuben Awards held at the World Trade Center in New York City. He was a very nice man and actually very funny in person.  He was kind enough to draw me a quick sketch, which I would like to share below.

Bil Keane will most certainly be missed by many fans around the world.