Memorial candle
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Jewish journalist Alan Colmes, a Fox News contributor, passed away on Thursday at the age of 66 after a brief illness.

Colmes leaves behind his wife, Jocelyn Crowley, who said in a statement, “Alan Colmes passed away this morning after a brief illness. He was 66-years-old. He leaves his adoring and devoted wife, Jocelyn Elise Crowley. He was a great guy, brilliant, hysterical, and moral. He was fiercely loyal, and the only thing he loved more than his work was his life with Jocelyn. He will be missed. The family has asked for privacy during this very difficult time.”

Colmes was the liberal voice on Fox News and co-hosted the Hannity & Colmes show alongside Sean Hannity between 1996 and 2009.

A New York City native and Hofstra University graduate, he worked for years in radio, including on WABC and WNBC, before joining Fox in 1996.

In a on Thursday morning, Hannity called Colmes "one of life's most decent, kind and wonderful people you'd ever want to meet."

"When Alan and I started 'Hannity & Colmes,' there wasn't a day that went by where we didn't say we were the two most fortunate men in all of television," said Hannity.

Despite their political differences, Hannity said the two "forged a deep friendship" over the years.

"Alan, in the midst of great sickness and illness, showed the single greatest amount of courage I've ever seen," he said.

Friends and colleagues took to social media to remember Colmes on Thursday.

“Alan Colmes was always a gentleman...always kind...a wonderful colleague,” wrote Greta Van Susteren, now of MSNBC.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee tweeted, “Just heard of death of Alan Colmes; the kind of liberal I loved-smart, witty, and fair; never backed up, but always backed up his views. RIP.”

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted his condolences as well.

“@CallyGingrich and I extend our deepest sympathy to Alan Colmes family. He was a wonderful friend and colleague. He will be deeply missed.”