Former Virginia Gov. Gerald Baliles has died, according to a statement from current Gov. Ralph Northam.
Baliles was 79 and died early Tuesday surrounded by his family.
Baliles, who was a Democrat, served from 1986 to 1990.
Here is Northam’s full statement:
鈥淚 am deeply sorry to hear of the passing of Governor Gerald Baliles.
As the 65th Governor of Virginia, he understood and valued the role government can play in improving citizens鈥� lives. He transformed Virginia鈥檚 transportation infrastructure, signed Virginia into the Chesapeake Bay agreement under which we still operate today, and focused on expanding access to higher education, among many other accomplishments.
Governor Baliles fought for rural Virginians, promoted civil discourse, and was the epitome of a true public servant.
While his accomplishments in office were, and remain, impressive, I will miss him for the kind ear and the sound advice he was always willing to give to me. Pam and I send our deepest sympathies to his wife, children, and loved ones.
I have directed that Virginia state flags be flown at half-staff in Governor Baliles鈥� honor for the next 30 days.鈥�
Baliles had entered a specialized care program for complications arising during his ongoing battle with kidney cancer, his family said.
Baliles had been fighting a type of kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma for several years. The family said that in 2016, he had a tumorous kidney removed and began treatment for cancer cells that had migrated to his lungs.
During his tenure, Baliles oversaw transportation improvements, reformed the state鈥檚 income tax structure and focused on state education and economic development efforts, among other contributions.
草莓传媒’s Brandon Millman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
