Cancer finally took Tony Snow:

Tony Snow, a conservative writer and commentator who cheerfully sparred with reporters in the White House briefing room during a stint as President Bush’s press secretary, died early Saturday of colon cancer. Snow was 53 years old.

“Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend, Tony Snow,” Bush said in a statement. “The Snow family has lost a beloved husband and father. And America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character.”

Snow, who served as the first host of the television news program “Fox News Sunday” from 1996 to 2003, would later say that in the Bush administration he was enjoying “the most exciting, intellectually aerobic job I’m ever going to have.”

Back when Snow was first diagnosed, I sent him a “get well soon” email.  He responded to me – a nobody, schmuck blogger and weekend talk host – with a thoughtful, involved thank-you that addressed and elaborated on the things on my original note.  That Tony Snow – at the time a talk radio and cable heavyweight – would take time out from his professional life, to say nothing of his onrushing health news and, naturally, his family, to not only respond to a schnook from Minnesota, but in a form that gave me years of food for thought, amazed me.

He certainly made press conferences interesting; I could see me trying to do the same thing as a press guy, albeit not nearly as well.

My prayers and best wishes are with the Snow family.

UPDATE: Kathryn Jean Lopez has much more.