BUFFALO, New York (Associated Press) -- The father of the late "Meet the Press" moderator Tim Russert has died in Buffalo, New York. He was 85.

The family of Timothy J. Russert Sr. 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. Tim Russert hosted the Sunday morning news interview show, "Meet the Press."

Details of funeral plans were not immediately available Friday morning.