Richard “Dick” Stone Former U.S. Senator Dick Stone died on July 28th at the age of 90. A Democrat from Miami-Dade County, Stone served in the Florida Senate from 1967 to 1970 and was elected Secretary of State in 1970. In 1974, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and served until 1980. He was the first Jewish U.S. Senator to represent Florida since the Civil War. Stone was appointed ambassador to Denmark by President George H.W. Bush.
Gus Barreiro Former Representative Gus Barreiro (R-Miami) died August 16th at his home in Cutler Bay. A fierce advocate for children, Barreiro is remembered for bringing to light the horrors that occurred at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna. Barreiro was 60.
Donald L. Tucker Former House Speaker Donald L. Tucker, a Democratic representative from Tallahassee from 1966-1978, died September 24th in Tallahassee at the age of 84. The last legislator to serve as House Speaker for two terms, he led the chamber during the final session in the Historic Capitol and its first session in the new capitol building. Tucker also served as a special ambassador for the United States to the Dominican Republic. Tallahassee’s Donald L. Tucker Center, was named after him.
Maurice Antonio Ferré Miami’s first Hispanic Mayor, Maurice Ferré, died September 19th. Ferré served as a Democrat in the Florida House of Representatives from 1967-1968 and as mayor of Miami from 1973 to 1985. Born in Puerto Rico, he was raised in Miami and was a graduate of the University of Miami. He was 84.