To me, Christmas just isn’t Christmas until Linus van Pelt steps forward and asks for the spotlight. Then he recites the shepherds meeting of the angel and the announcement of the birth of a child, ‘Tis Christ the Lord.”

When Linus calls for the lights, the world will remain a little more dim this year. Bill Melendes, the cartoonist that breathed life in to Charles Schulz creations died Tuesday of natural causes. He was 91.

While his death will be mourned, his life was really an amazing celebration of animation. Melendez spent nearly 70 years in animation starting when he was hired by Disney in 1938. He participated in the strike to unionize Disney workers. He worked with Warner Brothers after that until 1948 when he left the company.

When he and Schulz met, they became fast friends and Schulz authorized Melendez, and only Melendez, to animate the Peanuts characters. In 1964 CBS contracted with Schulz to created a Christmas special. The network was reportedly worried about the many demands that Schulz made including using children to voice the character, the anti-commercialism theme, lack of a laugh track, a jazz score and the overt religious message.

Melendez and his business partner Lee Mendelson produced, directed or animated all the Peanuts specials and animations.

The world of animation will miss Bill Melendez, but the specials he helped to create will play on for years to come.