(CNSNews.com) – Paul Weyrich, one of the principal figures of the conservative movement, died Thursday, the same day his last opinion column was published. It is, in many ways, a testament to his life work, and is being read now by the legions who revered him and who are also now praising his accomplishments and mourning his death.
 
“It was the best of times,” Weyrich wrote. “It was the worst of times. It is the worst of times because millions of Americans are unemployed this Christmas. It is the worst of years because we have mortgaged the future of our children and grandchildren for decades to come. It is the worst of years because many good friends have left us.
 
“It is the best of times because we still live in the greatest nation on earth.”
 
As word spread that Weyrich, 66, had died after battling injuries and ill-health for more than a decade, e-mail inboxes, Web sites, and blogs were flooded with tributes to the man who is considered by many to be the founder of the modern conservative movement.
 
“I would say it’s more than what he meant to the conservative movement -- he was the conservative movement,” Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) told CNSNews.com, citing the iconic conservative organizations Weyrich helped found, including the Heritage Foundation, the Free Congress Foundation and the Moral Majority.
 
“I don’t think I’ve met anyone tougher,” conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh told CNSNews.com. “He will be missed more than people know. Paul Weyrich taught people how to win, not just how to think. And he never quit.”
 
Even those who didn’t always agree with Weyrich held him in high regard.
 
“Even if you didn’t like him, you had to agree he was a man of consequence,” John Gizzi, political editor at Human Events told CNSNews.com. “Without Paul Weyrich you would not have had the role of religious conservatism, which is a factor in post-war politics.”
 
Born in Racine, Wisc., Weyrich’s first involvement in politics was as a student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He was a member of the Racine County Young Republicans and worked for Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential campaign.
 
Among his many accomplishments in advancing social conservatism, Weyrich, a devout pro-life Catholic, is credited with pioneering grassroots politics and direct-mail campaigns as a way of raising money.
 
Weyrich leaves behind a legacy that has earned him accolades from across the conservative spectrum.
 
“Paul Weyrich was one of the most creative, energetic, and effective conservative activists of the last 35 years,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in a statement. “More than anyone else, he studied the organizing mechanisms of the left and applied them to create an effective conservative activism movement.”
 
“Paul was a pioneer, a visionary, and a tough enforcer of conservative principle,” David A. Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, said in a statement. “He had little time for moderates or those who simply gave lip service to the values he held dear. His goal was to recruit conservatives, train them both ideologically and in campaign techniques, and send them off to do battle with the liberals who dominated Washington in those days.”
 
“Paul Weyrich made the conservative pro-family movement into a fighting brigade instead of just a collection of naysayers,” Phyllis Schlafly, president and founder of the Eagle Forum, wrote in a statement. “We are grateful to him for his extraordinary vision and leadership, and he never disappointed us. Paul was a man of integrity, courage, perseverance and political smarts. We are proud to have stood by his side for so many years.”
 
Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center, the parent company of CNSNews.com, praised Weyrich’s unwavering stand for what he believed was right and true.
 
“Paul Weyrich was a foundational pillar of the modern conservative movement,” Bozell said in a posting at Newsbusters.org. “He was a leader, a patriot, and a friend, with an unwavering conscience that held fast to traditional values in good times and bad. Even as Republican leaders vacillated on issues like taxes, abortion and government spending, Paul never wavered, and when he admonished those leaders – even presidents among them – he spoke for legions of conservatives across America.”
 
Indeed, ordinary folks also expressed their sadness at Weyrich’s death and their gladness for the many contributions to the country he loved and the God he served.
 
Among the comments following an article about Weyrich’s passing on the Heritage Foundation’s Web site, Steve of Raleigh, N.C., wrote:
 
“Rest in peace, Paul. Your work here is done. You may now go to your eternal reward with the words, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant’ ringing in your ears. God Bless you and your family.”
 
Weyrich is survived by his wife, the former Joyce Ann Smigun, children and grandchildren.