House remembers late Senate President King

By Paul Flemming
Florida Capital Bureau

The Capitol on Tuesday mourned the loss and honored the life of Jim King, a lawmaker with the playfulness and loyalty of his beloved Labrador retrievers.

The Jacksonville Republican's eulogists recounted anecdotes of his gregarious personality, firm positions and willingness to listen.

"He was a character who had great character," said former Sen. Rod Smith, a Democrat from Gainesville.

Smith spoke to a full House chamber that was somber but ready to reminisce about the man who died July 26. Current colleagues and fellow Republican senators President Jeff Atwater, Dennis Jones and Paula Dockery also spoke to mark King's career and life, sharing memories of a 23-year legislative career.

"The joy of having known him will be the honor we will all cherish for the rest of our lives," Senate President Jeff Atwater said.

A U.S. Coast Guard honor guard carried King's remains from the Senate to House chambers to the accompaniment of a plaintive bagpipe. King himself made the move from House to Senate in a 1999 special election after 13 years in the House. He was Senate president from 2002-04.

Dockery, from Lakeland, said King fought nobly against the pancreatic cancer that he was diagnosed with shortly after the spring legislative session. Her comments recalled King's death-with-dignity legislation passed while he was in the House and his 2005 leadership of Senators who thwarted efforts to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

"Jim King died a fighter. He died in his own way and on his own terms," Dockery said. "Jim King died with dignity."

Jones, a friend of King's for 25 years played a part in recruiting him to run for the House. They were legislative cronies and personal friends, their families traveling together often.

He recounted late nights drinking with King - the most frequent phrase of the service was King's favored "adult beverages" - legislative battles and lighthearted memories.

The procession of senators, family and King's remains in the Capitol rotunda was lined by Florida Highway Patrol troopers. King often ran another patrol gauntlet speeding along Interstate 10 traveling to and from Tallahassee.

Jones said King had a ready line for any trooper that pulled him over:

"He'd say, 'I'm sorry, officer. I'm in the legislature and I'm on the way to the capital and I'm late for a meeting where we're discussing trooper pay raises,' " Jones said.

Smith, a candidate for governor for a time in 2006, didn't share partisan ideology with King, but Smith said he respected the rotund Senate president's desire to hear from Democrats in the minority.

"He was a political figure with all of our foibles and all of our best instincts exaggerated to the proportions of his girth," Smith said. "He was baptized in the politics of Barry Goldwater and a disciple of Ronald Reagan. He believed in the American dream because he lived it."

King's loyalty to the GOP was exceeded only by his affection for Florida State University.

King's remains will be interred on the FSU campus at the building that bears his name, the King Life Sciences building. The $55 million structure was dedicated to King last year. King's remains are mingled with those of two of his Labrador retrievers.

Atwater said King's loss may not be truly felt by many at the service Tuesday until the legislature reconvenes when for the "first time in 23 years that James E. King Jr., the gentleman of Jacksonville, will not answer the quorum call."