Former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold has died

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold has died at 86, according to the City of Jacksonville.

Godbold served as mayor of Jacksonville from 1978 to 1987. He worked to convert the empty Union Station on the western fringe of downtown into a convention center, helping gain City Council approval in 1982, according to the City of Jacksonville.

Statement from Mayor Lenny Curry:

Statement from Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams:

“I join our city as it mourns the loss of former Mayor Jake Godbold. He loved Jacksonville and continued 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.”

Statement from FHP Jacksonville:

“Remembering a great neighbor, great friend to my agency, and a great leader in our community. You made us “The Bold New City of the South!” We thank you for all that you have done. Your family and friends remain in our prayers. Rest In Peace, Mayor Jake Godbold.”

Action News Jax report Dani Bozzini spoke to council members who say they will miss Godbold.

“He was our greatest patriarch and he was our greatest statesman of Jacksonville. He will never be replaced,” Jacksonville Councilman Matt Carlucci said.

Jake Godbold was more than just a politician here in Jacksonville. Godbold was a force to be reckoned with, the city’s biggest cheerleader. He was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve.

“That’s what I think he was best at touching people’s hearts and I think people knew that he loved them,” Carlucci said.

Godbold was Jacksonville’s mayor for nearly a decade. He even served on the first consolidated city council with Carlucci’s father.

As mayor, Godbold paved the way for Jacksonville to become an NFL city. He also pushed for the construction of The Landing, built the Southbank Riverwalk, and the convention center.

Councilman Tommy Hazouri, “You won’t forget what he left behind and that was a very positive image of our city.”

He was a man who never wavered in his beliefs even decades after being mayor. In November of 2019, he made a passionate plea to end the sale of JEA.

At that council meeting, Godbold told Action News Jax, “This is all about selfishness and self-centeredness and it's not for the public. "

Hazouri adds, “I think the exclamation point for him, and I’m so proud of that, is being against the sale of the JEA.”

Jake Godbold was a man who was proud of his city, a public servant who only wanted the best Jacksonville.

“I will miss Jake Godbold for the rest of my life as will thousands of other people in Jacksonville,” Carlucci said. ​

© 2020 Cox Media Group