Father of late Tim Russert dies in NY at 85; ‘Big Russ’ was subject of 2004 best-seller

Father of the late Tim Russert dies in NY at 85

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The father of the late “Meet the Press” moderator Tim Russert has died in Buffalo, N.Y. He was 85.

The family of Timothy J. Russert issued a statement saying he died Thursday of natural causes.

The elder Russert, known as “Big Russ,” grew up in South Buffalo and drove a city sanitation truck and a Buffalo News delivery truck to support his family.

The younger Russert, who died of a heart attack at 58 in June 2008, paid tribute to his father’s blue-collar values in the 2004 best-selling book, “Big Russ & Me.” The book was a series of lessons the journalist said he learned from his father, who was a World War II veteran.

His funeral is scheduled for Monday.