Legendary cartoonist Charles Schulz died in his sleep on Saturday evening in his home in Santa Rosa, Calif. after battling colon cancer. His last cartoon was published on Sunday morning.Schulz drew the famous “Peanuts” characters and retired late last year after his 50-year career, publishing cartoons in 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries.Curator of the Ohio State cartoon research library, Lucy Caswell, said she is feeling the loss of this legend.”Charles Schulz has been a giant in his profession,” Caswell said. “I am a member of the Schulz museum board, so I feel a personal loss. It’s a sad day.”Generally when an artist dies, the price of his or her works tends to increase sharply.Caswell was not able to give a definite answer as to the value of Schulz’s work after his death, but said, “obviously supply and demand determines price.”Richard Dwyer, Schulz ‘s corporate general manager for the past five years, is also dealing with the loss.”He contributed unbelievably to my life,” Dwyer said in a statement. “I’m going to miss him terribly.””He proved that violence isn’t necessary to have a successful cartoon or comic strip,” said Andy McBride, a senior agricultural communications major. “He produced quality entertainment that generations of Americans have fallen in love with. He will remain an American icon and will truly be missed.”Other OSU students are mourning the death of Schulz. Chris Hardy, a junior architecture major, is currently the artist of the “Square Universe” comic strip for the Lantern. He’s been drawing for OSU since last fall.”It’s sad that he died, but it’s good to hear the positive stories on TV,” Hardy said. “It’s pretty nice the way they are honoring him.”Schulz received the Reuben Award in 1955 and 1964, the highest comic arts award. He also was named the International Cartoonist of the Year in 1978, an award voted on by cartoonists around the world.Schulz was scheduled to receive a lifetime achievement award on May 27 at the National Cartoonist Society convention in New York.Schulz owned the Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, where he enjoyed skating, playing ice hockey or just reading the paper.