Former Fox News senior White House and foreign affairs correspondent Wendell Goler has passed away, according to an announcement from “Special Report” anchor Bret Baier on Thursday morning.
“So very sad to hear that my former colleague Wendell Goler- who covered the White House for years – has died. Wendell was a consummate pro and a real gentlemen. My sincere condolences to his family,” tweeted Baier.
“Wendell was a gifted correspondent, a wonderful colleague and a FOX News original whose reporting was respected on both sides of the aisle,” said Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News Media, in a Thursday statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Marge and his entire family.”
Goler joined the network in 1996, the year Fox News was launched, coming over from The Associated Press. The University of Michigan graduate retired in 2014.
“I join in your sadness at hearing of Wendell’s death. He was a top flight reporter & writer and a great friend and colleague dating back to our days together at AP Radio. He was also a gentleman and a one of the classiest acts in journalism, which lost a star on his retirement,” tweeted CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller in response to Baier’s announcement.
“Utterly crushed when I heard this earlier,” wrote Trish Turner, who worked with Goler and currently serves as ABC News supervising congressional reporter. “SUCH a wonderful, fun, silly, smart, delightful, curmudgeonly ole soul. I can hear him now: ‘No! No! No!’ A total pleasure to have worked with him for 2 1/2 years covering the Bush WH. He’ll be sorely missed.”
Goler was 70.