Congressman Ralph M. Hall, Chairman of the Free Congress Foundation Board of Directors, and President Marion Edwyn Harrison, sadly announce the death of the Founder and National Chairman, Paul M. Weyrich. 

Paul Weyrich, 66, died this morning while briefly hospitalized near his home in Northern Virginia. A contributory cause of death was methicillin-resistant staph aureus, commonly termed MRSA. For some years Paul Weyrich had been in a wheelchair, due to a combination of illnesses and a fall many years ago on black ice.

 While hospitalized a number of times, and often in pain, Paul continued his admirable and extensive work as a leader of the cultural, political and social conservative movement. 

Paul founded not only the Free Congress Foundation but also the Heritage Foundation and was the first Heritage President. While still a student in his native Wisconsin he became a radio and MILWAUKEE SENTINEL newspaper reporter and then a CBS political reporter and newscaster in Milwaukee. In 1966 he came to Washington, initially handling press relations and other assignments for Senators Gordon L. Allot, of Colorado, and Carl T. Curtis, of Nebraska.

In 1973 Paul Weyrich created the Heritage Foundation and in 1974 he created the predecessor to Free Congress Foundation. For several years he also operated a television cable channel. He held the highest honorary position in the Council for National Policy. During the past 35 years he extensively advised, spoke and wrote on cultural and other aspects of conservatism. In and after 1989 Paul visited the formerly Communist Soviet Union, organizing training courses for the promotion of democracy and individual rights. Paul also was an expert on rail and light-rail transit, having served as an AMTRAK Director and a National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commissioner. 

In 1990 Paul was ordained a deacon in the Melkite Greek Eparchy, a conservative Catholic Church. 

Paul Weyrich is survived by his wife of 45 years, the former Joyce Ann Smigun, their five children and 15 grandchildren.

Steadfast and courageous in causes and faith, and admirably stoic in continuing his extensive work during many years of illness, Paul Michael Weyrich will be missed by the many people with whom he worked and by his family and numerous friends.

Funeral arrangements are not yet concluded.  More information will become available through a call to the Free Congress Foundation, 703 837-0030, and on the website, www.freecongress.org.