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SUMTER, S.C. Robert Lee "Robbie" Evans, a longtime editor at The Item newspaper in Sumter, has died after a 7-year battle with colon cancer.

Hubert Osteen, chairman of the Osteen Publishing Company, said Evans died Wednesday morning. He was 53.

Osteen says working at The Item was Evans' first and only job. After graduating from Wofford College, where he played baseball, Osteen said Evans joined The Item as a sports writer in 1978.

He also served as sports editor, building up the paper's sports coverage and reporting staff.

For the last seven years, Evans had served as the paper's managing editor.

A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at Riley Ball Park, where Evans was a coach for American Legion baseball teams.