Carl Rochelle was a newspaper boy.

Before his time at CNN, Rochelle called Washington home. He was best known for his 18 years as a national correspondent for CNN, but he began his journalism career as a boy delivering newspapers for the Washington Daily News in 1949.

Rochelle passed away on Saturday in Arlington, Virginia. He was 79 years old.

He worked for CNN as an on-air correspondent from 1983 until 2001. As a veteran reporter, he covered many breaking news stories and spent a great deal of time in the White House covering both Reagan and Mondale’s presidential campaign. He was also one of the first western reporters to travel to Saudi Arabia following the invasion of Kuwait, according to CNN.

His journalistic roots, though, trace back to Washington.

Former Washington Daily News Publisher Brownie Futrell said his father took great interest in Rochelle’s career. He remembers the kind words his father, Ashley B. Futrell Sr., used to always say about the national correspondent.

“Whenever he came on TV, my father used to talk about what a good guy he was,” Futrell said. “All the way back to his days as a newspaper carrier.”

Futrell said his father was always proud that such a distinguished journalistic career came out of the job at his hometown newspaper.

Paul Funeral Home in Washington will be assisting Rochelle’s family. Rochelle is to be buried in Washington at a later date.