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Former Indiana Governor and Purdue University President Mitch Daniels said Sunday that former Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, who passed away this weekend at the age of 87, was “not just the finest public servant I will ever know, he was the finest person.”

“He embodied all we can hope for in our leaders: brilliance of mind, purity of motive, stainless in character, tireless in the pursuit of duty,” Daniels said in a statement. “Incomparably knowledgeable about the world, he was first and always a patriot, utterly dedicated to the security and wellbeing of his fellow Americans.”

Former Governor Daniels worked directly for Richard Lugar for 14 years, first during Lugar’s tenure as Mayor and later as a Senator. Daniels served as Lugar’s Chief of Staff for more than a decade.

Lugar, who served six-terms as an Indiana Senator, died in Falls Church, Virginia, of complications from a neurological disorder known as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Lugar’s wife, Charlene, and his four sons were with him at the time of his death, following a short illness in the hospital, according to a statement from the Lugar Center.

WIBC host Tony Katz spoke with former Indiana Governor and Purdue University President Mitch Daniels Monday morning about former Senator Lugar’s life and legacy.

“There are many accomplishments for which [Sen. Lugar] should always be remembered, but I think in some ways [that] the example of character and leadership that he established in public life may be an even bigger legacy,” Daniels told Katz.

“He was able to stick to principle, maintain good will for people who spoke ill of him or criticized what he did,” Daniels added.

Click the link below to hear Tony’s full interview with Mitch Daniels.