In many roles, Bob Johnson worked to improve Sarasota

Ask Bob Johnson’s friends to describe him, and you get two distinct pictures of the former state legislator. One is the image he seemed to project to the world, the other the personality he shared with the many people with whom he worked closely.

“He had a relatively gruff exterior, but underneath, he was a marshmallow,” Jim Tollerton said.

“When you initially met him, he was kind of gruff,” former state Rep. Jim Lombard said. “But underneath, he had a great sense of humor and was very loyal.”

“He was the kind of person who seemed a little crusty and intimidating upon meeting him early on, but you realized pretty quickly that he was genuine and generous,” former New College President Mike Michalson said.

“Bob was a very warm hearted, kind, gentlemanly person who I think probably struck some people as gruff at first, because he had a gravelly voice,” Drew Clayton said. “But he was actually a teddy bear.”

“I came to think of Bob as a teddy bear dressed up as a grizzly bear,” Sam Skogstad said.

"I came to think of Bob as a teddy bear dressed up as a grizzly bear." — Sam Skogstad

Beyond the gruff exterior and warm interior, there are other points of consensus: He was opinionated, a direct communicator and a dedicated family man. He was also a passionate advocate for Sarasota — during his time in the Florida House of Representatives and Senate, but also as an active member or supporter of a laundry list of local organizations.

Former state Sen. Bob Johnson died Monday. He was 80.

Johnson spent 16 years in the legislature, serving in the House from 1970 to 1976 and 1982 to 1984 before moving to the Senate from 1984 to 1992. Beginning in the '80s, he worked aside Lombard as part of a delegation that sought to strongly advocate for local interests whenever possible.

“People often say that places like Sarasota County should hire lobbyists to represent them in Tallahassee,” Lombard said. “Those of us in the legislature — Bob, as well as myself — felt we were the lobbyists for Sarasota.”

Lombard moved to Sarasota as a full-time resident in the mid-‘70s, and soon met Johnson through a friend of a friend. Johnson helped get Lombard acquainted to the area. One of Johnson’s landmark achievements was the protective designation of the Myakka River as a wild and scenic river in 1985; nearly a decade earlier, he and Lombard would go fishing in those same waters.

Having had the opportunity to work alongside Johnson in multiple capacities — the two were involved with the New College Foundation in the late ‘70s — Lombard says Johnson’s focus helped make him an effective advocate for the causes in which he believed.

“He was like a dog with a bone,” Lombard said. “He’s very dogged, hardworking and persistent.”

Johnson was a Republican elected to the legislature during a Democratic majority, and he had a reputation for being willing to work across party lines. Still, his friends say, that didn’t preclude his being a very opinionated man — or someone willing to bluntly share those opinions.

“He was very direct,” Tollerton said. “There was no mystery about what his message was when he was communicating with you.”

"He was like a dog with a bone." — Jim Lombard

That approach served Johnson well in his illustrious and diverse career. After attending Florida State University for undergraduate studies and the University of Florida for law school, he moved to Sarasota in the ‘60s. He got to work almost immediately, both professionally and with a variety of local institutions.

He twice served as the chairman of the New College of Florida Board of Trustees and supported the college in other capacities. From the state House in 1975, he helped the private school become a part of the University of South Florida system. Later, he would help it gain its independence as a public institution. School officials say both moves were crucial for the success of New College.

“His dedication didn’t wane and his involvement wouldn't wane,” Michalson said. “Whenever you needed him, he was there, no matter what.”

"He's like a bulldog when it comes to some things. He'll go after it and he'll get it for you." — Kumar Mahadevan

He spent nearly three decades working with Mote Marine Laboratory, introducing the institution to its namesake benefactor, William Mote. He took an active role in securing Mote’s City Island campus, and after his stint in the legislature served as chairman of Mote’s board of directors.

“I remember one of his friends used to say, he’s like a bulldog when it comes to some things,” Mote President Emeritus Kumar Mahadevan said. “He’ll go after it and he’ll get it for you.”

Johnson found a way to contribute to a number of other local organizations — by dedicating his time, by reaching out to others to help fundraise, by donating money or attending galas himself. Lombard said this was an unusual amount of dedication, but those who knew Johnson agreed it was an essential part of who he was.

Coming from a poor background, Johnson took joy from seeing others succeed in both his professional and private life.

“He never forgot what it was to like to have to try to struggle out of the kind of beginnings from which he started,” said Skogstad, Johnson’s friend since college. “I think that explains his commitment to the civic organizations.”

"Sarasota just wouldn’t be what it is without him." — Felice Schulaner

Johnson worked as an attorney up to and including the day he died. Drew Clayton, Johnson’s former partner, says the same attributes that made Johnson an effective legislator allowed him to succeed in this arena, as well.

“He genuinely cared about his clients, just as he genuinely cared about the community,” Clayton said. “He didn’t put on any airs.”

On a personal level, Johnson’s friends remember him as smart, loyal and funny.

“He was never afraid to poke fun at himself,” Michalson said. “To me, that’s always a sign of someone’s true humanity, when they can laugh at themselves and see the funny side of things. He helped me out in tough situations by getting me to laugh.”

Above all, they recall a man steadfast in both his convictions and his values.

“He was a good family man,” Tollerton said. “He doted on his family — loved his new grandson, was proud of his children, loved (his wife) Pat.”

“He didn’t stand on his ego. ... He really did it for the betterment of the community.” — Jim Tollerton

Many people believe the opportunity to benefit from Johnson’s dedication to the community was a blessing for Sarasota County residents.

“Everywhere you look, there are signs that he did that work,” said Felice Schulaner, a fellow member of the New College Board of Trustees. “Sarasota just wouldn’t be what it is without him.”

For those who were able to get to the core of Bob Johnson, the opportunity to interact with him was an even greater privilege.

“I just enjoyed the guy, and I could deal with the gruffness,” Tollerton said. “He would step on my toes sometimes, but you knew it was not from the heart; it was from the head.”

Additional reporting by Kristen Herhold.