Charles Levendosky, the Star-Tribune's opinion editor for more than two decades, died at his Casper home Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.

Levendosky helped launch the Star-Tribune's widely known letters section, encouraging writers of all stripes to contribute.

He was a vigorous defender of the First Amendment and devoted many of his weekly columns to that topic. Syndicated by the New York Times, his work appeared in many newspapers across the country and in the International Herald Tribune. Though struggling with his disease the past four years, he continued to write his columns from home, assisted by Dale Eckhardt, his wife.

"It's a sad day. Charles was known as a great advocate of the First Amendment, but he was also my friend," Star-Tribune Editor Dan Neal said today.

He joined the newspaper after working many years as a poet. He served as the Wyoming State Poet and treasured his experiences collaborating with Casper poet Peggy Simson Curry to bring poetry to the state's schools.

Services are pending.

A full obituary will appear in Tuesday's Star-Tribune.