us know how the public can pay tribute we’re live in oceanway Jim Piggott Channel 4 the local
station.
>> The passing of former Mayor
godbold is drawing emotional
reactions from city and state
leaders who knew him well they
call him a mentor, a father
figure and a man who loved
Jacksonville. Just 30 minutes
ago sheriff Mike Williams sent
us this statement saying
I join our city as it mourns
the loss of former Mayor Jake
godbold his
love Jacksonville. And continue
to serve the city he loved so
much well beyond his term in
office. He had a huge
personality that inspired
others to bring their best to
the game. I have appreciated
the candid advice. He has
provided me over the years, he
will be sincerely missed.
News 4 Jax reporter Vic
micolucci spoke with local
leaders about the legacy Jake
godbold leaves with us bank.
♪
>> They call him and I caught on they call him a legend Mary and Tom,
truly a man who made an
incredible impact here in the
city of Jacksonville and we
went here. Moments after his
death to City Hall
and heard from so many leaders
past and present about how
Jake godbold changed their
lives did everything he could
to protect this city it wasn’t
about being a Democrat
or Republican. It wasn’t about
your social economic status
or what you believed in it was
about making this city.
A better place I spoke with
former Jacksonville City
Council president. Erik Smith,
a close friend of Jake godbold
as well as 2 other former
mayors, former mayor Tommy who
Zuri who 6 seeded
godbold and
John Delaney, who ultimately
replaced him after running
against him. All 3 of them have
fun things to say about the
former
♪
former ♪ leader here.
>> We’re going to miss him.
He is he’s always going to be a
part of our soul and doing
right for Jacksonville. it was
a love for the city
was not surpassed by anyone
else I think uh oh miss a
♪
the
♪ the ♪
the ♪ the uh.
♪ the uh. >> The the smile and the
positive can do at a 2
willingness
to help. Jacksonville in any
way that he could be physically
it slowed a little bit but
mentally was a sharp as a tack.
>> He was energized about this G a fight. But you just can’t find
somebody that loved the city
for the Jake he was just kind
of a relentless a perpetual
cheerleader for the town.
He wouldn’t listen to anybody
criticize the place. It’s a
blow. I mean it really helped
kind of given identities the
city.
>> But Jake godbold
was a political leaders so
obviously he butted heads with
people including some of those
men that you spoke with right
there, but they say
they absolutely respected him
they are so thankful for what
he did and they knew
that he always had everyone’s
best interest in mind.
John Delaney. Mayor his jury
there speaking about some of
the things that Jake godbold
brought to Jacksonville
including the convention
center. The Riverwalk so many
developments and they say he
got the ball rolling
on getting the Jacksonville
Jaguars here
of course giving
giving Jacksonville an NFL team
so much more at 6 o’clock for
now we’re live. Outside City
Hall downtown I’m Vic micolucci
Channel 4. The local station.
>> Thank you very long time
City councilman Matt Carlucci
has a unique perspective on got
boats life.
>> Count one Carlucci is
joining as Matt your late
father, Joe was a contemporary
of the mayor’s they served on
the City Council together
you kind of grew up knowing
mayor, godbold yes, I did I
grew up knowing shaken. He’s
like the last link to my dad
that I have.
And the last
few months you know as we are
we’re all fighting for the
issues that were important to
Jake, there were important to
me.
If you knew I was having a bad
day he called me on the phone
and I can’t exactly say.
Hi would say it but he say that
government Carlucci you just
keep fighting and I’m proud of
you. And you know it was almost
like listen. But they have through him and in listening and hearing it from him.
We are just he just help me
like a father
I will miss him dearly he’s great. He was great. He was Jackson’s grace, patriarch and
the greatest statesman.
If you ever met anybody who
love people more than Jay Goble
loved all people.
>> Jake godbold he could tell
it like it was in a might
make some people upset, but
they also knew down deep inside
he was saying because he
loved them.
>> And nobody could love this
committee he also knew that
this community could not move
forward.
If they had to feel loved they
did feel included that’s why we
brought all those fans like we
all remember to the Gator ball.
We were all there together rich
more. It didn’t matter.
And he just he
just loved. Everybody in this
town and I think everybody has
cried it here today
that that had that knew him
that voice to that booming
voice the voice of the ad in
the in a combined office, the
same it sometimes and.
>> And I don’t locate him and
that you know, and we pay this
car for 35 minutes.
>> But.
>> It’s a it’s just
going such a void in the city
and this is got to be filled.
But I got to tell you.
Nobody love Jacksonville more
and Jake godbold that
he had good smart people around
him that helped them and I
just. I just feel so
fortunate that I grew up in a
family that new him that work
with them. He and then they got
along great, sometimes
they fall, but it was always
you always knew that it was
what was best for Jacksonville
and then they get over it and
then move go fishing together
hunting together.
>> And I had those roots
here too and then he would say
that he grew up where he grew
up maybe it.
>> He grew up in the Brentwood
projects so he knew what it was
like you know or he had.
>> Great perspective so that
the people fish not on the
Riverwalk in one-time some I
try to get him to get those
people from fishing on the
river walk
and he’s he’s a heck. No I’m
not gonna let them with
additional rain TV to close
those games on come on over
there to open them up.
And so I have always told
people if if there are people
on the South bank where walk
Asner their dinner fission.
And there are people of the
river club that needed help.
He beat him, but the people
down the river walk to help you
be down the
river walk helping those people
because he was he was a
people’s mayor, but he loved
everybody.
And it’s been this is a very
it’s a very sad day but
hopefully a
day that will pull us all
together remember what’s good
about Jacksonville. Never
forget just really get never
forget him. Thank you
councilman you welcome.
Since I started working here
channel for almost
45 years ago, I’m pretty sure
I’ve interview Jake godbold
more than any other reporter in
town, especially after he left
the mayor’s office when he had
something he wanted to say.
>> He called me and I
go interview any reporter who
had been in my shoes would have
done exactly the same thing he
was always a great interview a
5 star. No really a tennis star storyteller he just called me this past Saturday with the
story. He wanted me to be aware
of he was not only a terrific
interview, he was a
reliable source as was the late
Joe caused by the way to a
funny thing happened many years
ago, he wanted us to become
personal friends, him, a
politician may be a reporter.
Same unnatural to me I always
check with our news director.
Before my wife and I would
accept mayor godbold
invitations to go to a football
game with him and his wife Jane
and with his other friends at
Austin Patti Austin doctor Roy
Baker and Audrey Baker.
Pioneers in our city in so
many ways and for peace I
experienced Jake godbold
unconditional love as did my
wife, Gina experience, their
unconditional love is his wife
is his late wife, Jean.
Blossom so I not only is
Jacksonville lost a leader,
but.
Plus you’re going to see me
crying today, folks because
I’ve I’ve lost a dear dear
friend.
A great ever I have a lot of
other friends that I love
dearly, but there’s only one J
couple.
Very very
special friendship.
>> Well, we’ll never forget it
no we never will you never
we’re going to just talk to him
this past weekend is just just
incredible to find out that
today’s gone just. But he
he has his health has not been
good lately shot
right.
>> Ice love seeing him every
time when we would go to the
Barber and Campbell Memorial
back to us and
there were at the MCA champ and
we had the morning and and if
you was there it was.
>> And sometimes he couldn’t
make it because of his health
but we always knew he had.
He had. They had his support
and that’s all that.
>> Passionate about the landing
passionate about NFL football.
But oh yes, also passionate
about domestic violence because
his sister-in-law.
Was killed by domestic violence
that he always felt.
>> For everyone around him very
empathetic up.
Heartfelt condolences and
memories of the former mayor
are pouring into social media
tonight as well many saying.
>> Rest in power to the city
legend Joy’s here now with what
they’ve shared joy.
What he said at the joint
listening to your memories
there so precious thank you for
sharing the news.
>> We have pulled 3 of the
scores of support well wishes
and memories posted on social
media, first let’s take a look
at Jacksonville’s current mayor
Lenny Curry he posted
here I have long admired his
love and dedication to our city
specifically his support of our
senior citizens. I’m very
saddened to hear of Mayor
godbold passing and my thoughts
and prayers are with his
family. Next we have Florida
congressman John Rutherford,
who actually re tweeted one of
our news 4 Jax posts and
included his own sentiments
saying my heartfelt condolences
to the godbold family and all
who had the pleasure to know
him. Mayor got that was a
tremendous leader in our
community and a force for good
he will be
greatly missed and finally
let’s take a look at this is
such a well
written memory from the Duval
Democratic Party Jay couple
often considered the most
prominent Democrat in
the city. The group says mayor
godbold exuded
class integrity dignity, a
spitfire no nonsense attitude
and a love for our city up
until his
final days. Duvall dams and the
residents of Jacksonville are
forever grateful for his
dedicated service to our
community. Tributes they just
keep coming in not
only from community state
federal leaders. But also from
so many of you we have several
stories in which you can read
reactions right now on news 4
Jax dot com. Tom Mary. Thank
you joy, don’t you love that
picture of him to look into the
camera like I
get to I guess it’s just such a
champion for the city, my
favorite moment though among
them all was when he broke down
and cried when he found out.