Read Tina Fey's Sweet Tribute to Her Late Father

Tina Fey's father, Donald Fey, died Oct. 18 of heart failure at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Inquirerreports. He was 82.

Born in Philadelphia, Donald Fey graduated from Temple University and served in the Korean War. He was a firefighter in Philadelphia in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and later became a professional fundraising writer who helped raise more than $500 million for schools, hospitals and other organizations. His resume also includes stints as the director of development communications at Thomas Jefferson University and an editor at Business Week.

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"He was a great dad and a talented artist and writer, but I also think of him as a Great American -- he served his country in Korea, he served his city as a fireman, he took his kids regularly to art museums and historical sites," Tina Fey told the Inquirer. "He read poetry and history and newspapers. He was an informed patriot. The Republican Party should have tried to clone him."

In the Philadelphia Daily News, the 30 Rock creator recalled how her father "invoked Churchill" and convinced her to stay in New York City, where she was working onSaturday Night Live, after the 9/11 attacks.

In addition to his daughter, Donald Fey is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jeanne; a son, Peter; a sister; two brothers; and three grandchildren.