Family friends and community members honored late House Speaker and Florida State University President John Thrasher during a recent memorial service. During his celebration of life Thrasher was remembered for his legislative skills – and his character.
“He had a compass that pointed north for him, and he did not deviate.”
Kathy Mears is Florida’s assistant commissioner of agriculture. When Thrasher was president of Florida State University, she worked in his legislative affairs office. She calls him a loving leader.
“He didn’t just change rules or laws or policies," she said. "He changed hearts and lives. And I think that is a much longer-lasting legacy than just caring about policies.”
But that doesn’t mean Thrasher didn’t get things done. Former Gov. Jeb Bush gave Thrasher’s eulogy during the memorial on FSU’s campus.
“He was the equivalent, a conservative equivalent, of Lyndon Baines Johnson – probably the master of the legislative process at the national level," Bush said. "John Thrasher can certainly take that mantle here in Florida.”
In his eulogy, Bush said he was running for his first term as governor just as Thrasher was running to become speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. They talked about what they’d do.
“His policy successes became the building blocks for a generation of conservative governance," Bush said. "And whether you’re a liberal or a conservative, that’s not really the point. The point is, there are moments in time when leadership comes to the forefront and can change the direction. And that’s exactly what happened in 1999.”
Around that same time, Doug Wiles served as the Democratic leader of the House. He says he was impressed by Thrasher’s ability to work with anyone, adding that even when Thrasher became a powerful speaker, he would listen to the other side.
“John felt like the process of government is to get everyone’s opinion," Wiles said, "and I can tell you in more than one case, there were amendments to what was thought to be a pretty good bill on the floor that he took after a good debate – and they became a part of the bill. You know, that’s just lacking today.”
Wiles and Thrasher both represented northeast Florida. Wiles says Thrasher worked hard to create a statewide conservative majority and even tried to get Wiles to switch parties. That didn’t happen, but they collaborated well to represent their constituents.
The old guard was there for Thrasher’s celebration of life. They hung on the words of Jean Thrasher, his wife of 60 years, whom they all knew to have been crucial to his success in life.
Standing onstage with her family, Jean didn’t mince words about her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
“It took over our lives, all of us here," she said. "And we were determined – he was, he was determined, he was fearless, and I would say he was amazing. And our son, John, he called him a warrior. And our two girls – I have two girls, Jen and Julie. They both called him – what did they call him? Oh, that’s right. They called him a lion.”
Thrasher died in May at the age of 81. He’s survived by Jean, their three children and eight grandchildren.
