Ed Pope, a former reporter and city editor at the Mercury News, died Sunday of bladder cancer at his San Jose home at age 79, the Merc reports. Pope was at the Merc for 41 years, taking a buyout in 2001.

“Ed was not a cocky, arrogant guy who was gunning to get people fired. In fact, he was a very kind and good-hearted, thoughtful person,” said Reporter Brandon Bailey. “But he just had a conviction that people deserved to be treated decently. I think he felt genuine outrage when someone didn’t live up to their responsibilities.”

The Merc noted that Pope did many hardest-hitting investigative stories, such as turning a harsh spotlight on abuses at nursing homes and producing articles that sparked reform and won him numerous awards.