Tony Snow, 53, the former press secretary for President Bush, died early this morning from colon cancer, the same disease that took his mother’s life when he was 17.

“America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character,” said President Bush in a statement. “It was a joy to watch Tony at the podium each day. He brought wit, grace, and a great love of country to his work.”

Snow’s varied and interesting career—Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes called him a “renaissance man”—got its start in 1979 here in my hometown of Greensboro, N.C., where he wrote editorials for our now-defunct afternoon paper. During the 1980s, he went on to be the editorial page editor of The Newport News Daily Press in Virginia, deputy editorial page editor of The Detroit News, and then the editorial page editor of The Washington Times. In 1991, Snow joined George H.W. Bush’s administration as director of speechwriting and deputy assistant to the president for media affairs. After that he wrote syndicated columns for The Detroit News and USA Today. When the Fox News Channel went on the air in 1996, Snow came on board and was the original host of “Fox News Sunday.” He performed other duties for FNC and hosted “The Tony Snow Show” for Fox News Radio before departing in 2006 to replace Scott McClellan as President Bush’s press secretary. Snow resigned from the White House last September and became a political commentator for CNN in April.

Click here for a tribute by one of Snow’s FNC colleagues, Brit Hume.

Addendum (12:56 p.m.): Our friend Justin Taylor over at Between Two Worlds has linked to an article Snow wrote a year ago for Christianity Today titled “Cancer’s Unexpected Blessings.” In it, Snow concludes:

“Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don’t matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?”

Addendum II (1:20 p.m.): Tom Blumer over at NewsBusters rightfully criticizes the Associated Press’ handling of Tony Snow’s death, which we linked to above: “The AP’s story … gets in at least three cheap, fundamentally untrue, and totally uncalled-for shots at Tony Snow. … Godspeed Tony. I’m sure God will take an objective view of your life, and you’ll waltz right in to be with Him for eternity.” It’s interesting to compare the way AP handled Tim Russert’s passing with how it covered Snow’s death this morning.