The great educator Alex Trebek passed away Sunday at age 80. Trebek was, of course, the legendary host of the game show “Jeopardy,” which he hosted for 37 years. The game show, which requires contestants to answer in the form of a question, has been a staple in living rooms for generations. He taught learners of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents, facts about geography, history, language, current events, pop culture, math, literature, and so much more.

Trebek publicly shared a stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis in March of 2019. He said the prognosis was not encouraging, however, he vowed to fight it. His legions of fans have been offering support and encouragement throughout his illness. Many have taken to Twitter to express sadness at his passing and marvel at the role of teacher Alex Trebek played for nearly forty years.

1. Alex was family

2. He gave us a teacher staple with “Jeopardy”

3. He modeled how to be a good teacher and a good person

4. People learned English by watching Alex

5. He was funny, too

6. As a teacher, Alex Trebek made us excited to learn

7. He gave the best “caring teacher” vibes

8. He didn’t judge when we yelled out wrong answers

9. It’s like losing our favorite grade school teacher

10. Trebek showed the value of education and teachers

11. Who was America’s favorite teacher? Alex Trebek

12. Alex made us pay attention in school so we’d be ready to play that night

13. Teachers have been watching “Jeopardy” for years

14. Many teachers were even “Jeopardy” contestants

15. Ivy League grad and superstar John Legend grew up on “Jeopardy”