Ralph Waite, who played the patriach of Walton's Mountain on the long-running family drama "The Waltons," and appeared as the father of Mark Harmon's Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS," has died. He passed away midday Thursday in his South Palm Desert home, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed through Steve Gordon, the Waite family's accountant. Waite was 85.
http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/ralph-waite--dad-of--the-waltons---dead-at-86-014947713.html
R.I.P. Wow I loved watching him in The Waltons, & everything else I seen him in.