Loss of A Statesman

Gov. Reubin Askew

In the early morning today, the State of Florida lost a favorite son, and Florida State University lost one of their greatest ambassadors as former governor Reubin Askew passed away.

America lost a great statesman, a group of principled politicians who possess great character that is dwindling in rapid numbers.

Governor Askew, a centrist Democrat, was governor of Florida from 1971 to 1979, a time of significant social change.  By all accounts, Askew was given extraordinary marks for his stewardship of The Sunshine State.

Governor Askew sought the Democratic nomination for president in 1984, with his centrist campaign failing to gather steam against competitors further on the left, including Gary Hart and Walter Mondale.  It seems Askew was more like the man he sought to defeat, Ronald Reagan, than he realized.

Prior to his political life, after a distinguished term in the Army, Askew attended Florida State University in Tallahassee in 1951 with a B. S. degree in Public Administration.  While a student, Askew became student body president at FSU, a precursor to his future life in politics.

Askew loved Florida State University, and the feeling was enthusiastically reciprocated.  Offering courses on government at universities across the state, at Florida State, the Ruebin O'D. Askew School of Public Adminstiration and Policy was named for him.

Through our association with Florida State University, I was blessed to interact with the governor on many occasions, primarily in support of the booster club system.  Governor Askew lead and participated in many breakout sessions, eager to assist each and every one of us in assisting our beloved Florida State University.

In fact, during my tenure as president of The Seminole Club of Greater Orlando in 1999, we were honored to have Governor Askew as our special guest.  It was a wonderful evening, where our club members got to witness first hand what many of us already knew, that Governor Reubin Askew was a wonderful person and among the greatest ambassadors of Florida State University.

 

Governor Askew and I in 1999.

Dean David W. Rasmussen, Dean of The College of Social Sciences and Public Administration and a former professor of mine, posted the following:  "I have very much appreciated the support Governor Askew has shown me throughout my tenure as dean. Courses he taught in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy shaped generations of future state leaders. Students were excited... and inspired by the governor’s courses because he brought the course material to life from his personal experience and the state leaders he brought in as guest lecturers. The governor was an extraordinary colleague; he will be missed by the faculty and staff of the college."

Godspeed Governor Askew.