Bob Bennett, Former US Senator From Utah, Dies At 82

Bob Bennett, a former U.S. senator from Utah, died Wednesday after battling pancreatic cancer and suffering a recent stroke, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. He was 82.

Bennett, a native of Utah, served three terms in the Senate, from 1993 to 2011. His father was U.S. Sen. Wallace Foster Bennett, who represented Utah from 1951 to 1974.

According to the Tribune, Bob Bennett was the type of moderate politician who sought compromise rather than confrontation. In other words, he was the type of Republican that tea party activists sought to remove from Washington.

That's just what happened in 2010, when Bennett was defeated by Mike Lee, who currently serves in the Senate, representing Utah along with Senate stalwart Orrin Hatch.

As news of Bennett's death spread Wednesday, tributes poured in to social media sites from friends and colleagues, including Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

In a Facebook post, Romney wrote: "What I will remember most about Senator Bennett is his unwavering commitment to principle; his is an example of integrity and character that will long live in the memories of all of us who knew him. God be with you, Bob, till we meet again at Jesus' feet."

Bennett and his wife, Joyce, had six children.