by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“I guess after you live in Jacksonville 82 years, you get a bigger portrait,” commented former Jacksonville Mayor Lou Ritter when he arrived on the fourth floor of City Hall Wednesday morning.
He had been invited for the unveiling of his new, larger portrait that will soon join those of his fellow former chief executives from Haydon Burns through John Delaney in the lobby of the mayor’s office.
In addition to Ritter, former Mayors Ed Austin and Tommy Hazouri and current Mayor John Peyton were there to witness the unveiling and celebrate Ritter’s service to the City. Also in attendance were colleagues and long-time friends including Harmon “Sparky” Williams, who was Ritter’s aide.
“I was Haydon Burns’ aide for seven years before Lou took over the office when Burns was elected governor and went to Tallahassee,” said Williams. “But we had known each other all our lives. We grew up on Monroe Street in east Jacksonville and our playground was where the stadium is now.”
Harmon Wages played football at the University of Florida and later went on to an NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons and then became a TV sportscaster. While he was in college, Wages spent a few summers as an intern in the mayor’s office and said the experience was invaluable.
“He taught me a lot of things. Lou Ritter is a legend as far as I’m concerned,” said Wages.
Attorney Paul Harden led the effort to commission a new portrait of Ritter to put on display at City Hall. He said the new artwork was funded entirely by private donations.
“I just thought the one we had was too small,” said Harden. “We’re all very proud of Mr. Ritter. He is one of the people who made this city what it is today.”
Ritter said he was honored to receive a larger form of recognition among his peers and pointed out he spent 16 years in public service as a Council member, Council president and mayor from 1965-67 .
“I was elected mayor by the Council when Haydon Burns left office and I served for a little over two years,” said Ritter. “I was the first public official to advocate consolidation. Then a good-looking young fellow named Hans Tanzler came along and I lost the election.”
As he was welcoming the guests to the ceremony, Mayor John Peyton said he didn’t fully understand the historic nature of the ceremony until he arrived in the conference room
“This is a momentous event. I didn’t realize how momentous until I looked down and noticed Paul Harden is wearing socks,” joked Peyton.