Pat Conroy, author of Prince of Tides, dead at 70

Conroy had announced in a Feb 15 Facebook post that he had pancreatic cancer. PHOTO: PAT CONROY/FACEBOOK

(REUTERS) - Pat Conroy, the best-selling novelist who blended tales of his childhood with vivid descriptions of life in South Carolina in books including The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides, died on Friday at the age of 70, according to media reports citing his wife and publisher.

Conroy, who had announced in a Feb 15 Facebook post that he had pancreatic cancer, died at his home in South Carolina surrounded by friends and family, the Post and Courier newspaper reported.

"South Carolina lost a beloved son tonight. Pat Conroy will be missed. We can find comfort knowing his words and love for SC will live on," Governor Nikki Haley said in a tweet.

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