Joe Bigham, a longtime Associated Press correspondent for the Valley, loved his family, his profession and his role mentoring young journalists, said those who knew him.

Mr. Bigham, a Fresno resident, died Feb. 24 at the age of 76.

He was well-respected among his peers and known for his journalistic ethics, said Lanny Larson, a former AP correspondent and former Fresno Bee reporter and editor.

"He was very much a protector and defender of unbiased, straight-forward reporting," Larson said.

Mr. Bigham always was calm, no matter what story he was covering, said Dennis Hart, longtime KMJ radio reporter. Mr. Bigham, who arrived in Fresno to work for AP in 1971, always was careful about double-checking his facts, said Hart, who started his career as a Channel 30 reporter in the mid-1970s.

"He was just a damn good reporter and a really good writer," Hart said.

Mr. Bigham came to the Valley after working for the Salem Capital Journal, the Napa Register and as managing editor of the Grass Valley Union.

His experience at the three newspapers served him and the Associated Press well, Larson said. Working at smaller papers, he recognized the importance of agriculture, Larson said.

"He never forgot his small-town roots," he said.

Mr. Bigham's appreciation for the work of small-town newspapers also was an asset as a judge for the Gruner Prizes for Meritorious Public Service in Journalism, said Jim Tucker, Fresno State professor emeritus for journalism.

He understood extraordinary effort that shone in small-town newspaper entries, said Tucker, who worked with Mr. Bigham on the awards.

The prizes were established in honor of George F. Gruner, former executive editor of The Fresno Bee.

Tucker also called Mr. Bigham "an interesting conversationalist."

"He was intellectually into everything," he said. "He read several newspapers and was always online and loved to talk about the news."

The AP bureau in Fresno covered an area from Stockton to Bakersfield, and for most of the news service's reporters, it was merely a stopping point early in their careers. But Mr. Bigham set down roots, and became a teacher and guide for those who passed through during the 27 years he worked here.

"Joe took very seriously his role as a mentor for young people coming through," Larson said.

Mr. Bigham balanced his passion for journalism with his devotion to his family, said his son, Craig Bigham. Mr. Bigham was active in his children's lives, serving as his son's Boy Scout leader and attending the dance recitals of his daughter, Pamela.

Mr. Bingham and his wife, Betty, were married for 56 years, spending much of that time traveling. "They had a good life together," their son said.

And he had a good life in journalism, Craig Bigham said. His father "picked a job that he loved."