"God Bless, Sweet Dreams, Nighty-Night"

This morning we learned that Shirley Temple Black, child actress, Ambassador, spokesperson, cancer survivor and much more, died from natural causes surrounded by family and loved ones. This woman enjoyed a life few of us could ever imagine, she will be missed.

For those of us who were lucky enough to see her in the movies she made, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Curly Top, The Little Princess, Captain January and my favorite, Heidi, we knew we were watching a natural talent. This little girl could sing, dance, make us laugh and make us cry far beyond the ability most three year olds ever had.

Baby-Boomers certainly will remember Saturday afternoons with a program known as "The ShirleyTemple Theater", which aired for years, showing Shirley's movies over and over again. We didn't care though because, we watched them faithfully each week, impressed that this little girl could bring such joy to so many, young

Cover of The Little Princess

and old alike.

She had a kids' drink named after her called "The Shirley Temple" which is 7-Up and grenadine served with ice and a maraschino cherry. Today, we still serve this to our kids and grandkids.

She even had a football game named after one of her movies. On November 17, 1968, with my Jets leading the Raiders 32-29 with a minute left, NBC broke away from the game at 7pm to air Heidi. We learned later that the Raiders scored two touchdowns to win 43-32 in the game forever after known as "The Heidi Game".

As an adult, she was active in California and national Republican politics running for the seat left vacant by the death of Arthur Younger from leukemia. She lost to liberal Republican, Pete McCloskey, in that special election. In 1969, she began a career of national public service with her appointment by President Nixon to the U.N. as Representative to the 24th General Assembly.

In the following years, she was appointed Ambassador to Ghana by President Ford and Chief of Protocol for the United States, also appointed by President Ford. In 1989, following the fall of the communist government, Ambassador Temple-Black was appointed Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.

In 1972, Shirley Temple-Black was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a modified radical mastectomy. After, she was one of the first to openly discuss this heretofore silent disease on TV, radio and an article which appeared in the February, 1973 issue of McCall's Magazine.

She was a remarkable child as we remember her in those movies from so many years ago, no one can dispute this. She was also a remarkable woman, no, a remarkable human being who did well to improve our lot in life. She was THE goodwill Ambassador of the United States to the world.

So, lift your Shirley Temple cocktail today and remember this cute kid and amazing human being and public servant.

We will never see another like her. God Bless.