Robert N. “Bob” Twigg [Leesburg]

LEESBURG, Va. — Robert N. “Bob” Twigg, journalist, loving husband, father, stepfather and granddad of Leesburg, Va., and Longboat Key, Fla., died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at age 62, after a valiant battle with lung cancer.

He was born Dec. 8, 1946, the third of nine children to Regina and William Twigg, in Cumberland.

His journalist career began as a college student working for The Cumberland News. His friend, Jan Alderton, now the Editor of that paper, says Bob was responsible for getting Jan his first job at the paper. After finishing his education at Frostburg State University, he continued at The Cumberland News, then moved to the Hagerstown newspaper, where he became Sports Editor. He covered the Baltimore Orioles in their glory days as well as the Baltimore Colts. He shared the story of the Orioles winning the pennant and being in the locker room for the celebration, wearing his favorite new sport jacket, that was ruined from champagne spray. He moved to Pensacola, Fla., becoming editor of that paper, owned by Gannett.

In 1983, he was brought to Washington DC to become part of a new paper Gannett was starting called USA TODAY. During his 16 year career with USA TODAY, he served in a number of roles including Washington/White House Editor, National Editor and Senior Reporter. He covered the Reagan, Bush and Clinton Administrations. He traveled to the Malta Summit with George HW Bush; worked extensively on the coverage of the first Gulf War, including the book Gannett published about the war, and spent time with George and Barbara Bush at their home in Maine during a summer break from Washington. His favorite story was Mrs. Bush telling her husband not to take the reporters through the house, and the President waiting til Barbara had gone around the corner and inviting them in for a personal tour. He was asked to take over the West Coast desk and thought that would be a nice change of pace, but it was the week before Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered in Los Angeles. For the duration of the OJ Simpson trial, he split his time between Virginia and California. Every day the Simpson story was on the cover of the paper, rack sales skyrocketed. He told his wife, BJ, the day the jury was seated that OJ would be acquitted. Fourteen months later that was the verdict. Following OJ's acquittal, Bob wanted to get back to reporting and for the next couple of years, he covered every major news event in the country. BJ would say if a plane came out of the sky, a hurricane was forming or a state was burning out of control, Bob would be packing his bags. He retired from 1997 from USA TODAY to have more time with his family.

Retirement did not last long. He became publisher of Senior News in Loudoun County from 1998-2002 and became Editor of the Loudoun Times Mirror in 2005. Peter Arundel, Publisher of the Loudoun Times Mirror said, "Peter, Blah blah blah,” when Bob chose to step down from the paper following his stepson Kevin's decision to run for elected office, to avoid a perception of conflict.

He spent many of the cold weather months at their home in Longboat Key, and completed his first novel just prior to his diagnosis with lung cancer in October 2008.

Bob was an active volunteer. He went to Pine Ridge the Lakota/Sioux Reservation in South Dakota on his first mission trip for St. James Church in 1997 and traveled several times to New Orleans to help with the rebuilding of the city following Hurricane Katrina. He served for several years as the Chairman of Loudoun's Christmas in April Project. He was a member of the Board of the Loudoun YMCA, The Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Clinic, The Loudoun Chamber of Commerce and In-Stride Riding, a therapeutic riding program in Sarasota, Fla. He has served as a Big Brother in the Best Buddies program.

He is survived by his wife, former Leesburg Mayor B.J. Webb; children, Michael Twigg, of Los Angeles, Russell Wright, his wife Carrie and daughter Helena, and Kevin Wright, his wife Dena, and daughter Katelyn, of Leesburg Va.; five brothers and three sisters.

One brother predeceased him.

The family will be receiving guests at their home 17885 Leeland Orchard Road on Friday, Nov. 20, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, Leesburg.

The family asked that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to either the St. James Church Columbarium Project or the Helena and Katelyn Wright Education Trust at Middleburg Bank, Leesburg, Va.

Online condolences may be sent at www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com.