It was a difficult day for the staff at WFMJ after learning that friend and former news anchor Bob Black had passed away.

Black died of natural causes at his home in Grove City Wednesday night. He was 68.

For more than three decades Bob Black was a fixture of local news in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.

He started out in radio and then began his television career in 1978 at WKBN.

In 1997 Bob came to WFMJ where he anchored the 6 and 11 p.m. news until his retirement in 2015.  

Bob was a former teacher, and  WFMJ General Manager Jack Grdic says that instructional influence is a part of his legacy. "The most impressive thing to me was watching Bob as his career got towards the end,  becoming more of a mentor to some of the colleagues and younger journalists in the building," Grdic said.

Bob was always ready to follow the  big story and to go one the road.  In 2000, he traveled to Palermo, Italy to report on a U.N. symposium on organized crime. His reports earned an award from the Associated Press. 

After stepping away from the anchor desk, Bob continued to contribute to 21 News serving as an analyst as a member of our political panel, along with former YSU political science chairman Dr. Bill Binning. "Bob was the preeminent TV anchor in the Valley for decades.  He was respected for his integrity and his insights," said Binning.

Bob was the consummate professional who's work ethic was an inspiration for those around him. Reporter Michelle Nicks worked with Bob his entire time at 21 WFMJ. 

"He would always tell me he was proud of me when I would do something that really pushed my limits at being a better journalist. I just remember every day coming to work, he would walk up the stairs, blow me a kiss and say hello," Nicks remembered.  

Bob Black will be missed by many.