Ralph Turlington, former Speaker of House, education commissioner, dies at 100
May 15—Ralph
Among legislation he wrote and pushed through that changed
He represented
Voters sent him to the state
In 1986, his final year in public office, he led a statewide campaign to establish a lottery to help fund education that continues today. He pushed for the lottery against much opposition, because he believed it necessary to keep
A liberal Democrat who entered the legislature when it was dominated by conservative, rural elected officials from
He reveled in the gritty work of legislation, his son,
Turlington had a flair for words, with his political colleagues often asking that his speeches be entered into the official record after the day's proceedings. And unlike the name-calling antics seen in today's different-corners-of-the-universe politics, Turlington could disagree with his fellow elected officials in a most civil fashion.
Perhaps not quite convinced of a representative's veracity, he might say something like, "That's the most dishonest thing I've ever heard from an honest man,"
"Even if he was cutting you, he would not let you bleed too much," the younger Turlington said.
The state's
Turlington was born in
"He'd sing you the P.K. Yonge school song whether you wanted to hear it or not," said longtime friend
A UF business graduate, Turlington was business manager of the Florida Alligator and later elected to leadership fraternity Florida Blue Key. He went to
He met and married
Mirabella, who met Turlington during his time in the legislature, said his reasons for entering public office and staying there were the right ones.
"He is the last of the great
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