Former Lafayette Mayor Jim Riehle has passed away. The Lafayette Journal & Courier has a nice write up. I didn’t live in Lafayette while he was mayor, but he served from 1971 to 1995, and it’s my understanding that he had a profound impact on the city. It seems to me that the city is in pretty good shape today, and I suspect that is in no small part due to his leadership.
Growing up in the TC, I remember Jim Riehle very well. When the phone company used to be called GTE (about two companies ago, I think), my dad worked there and organized annual poker runs through his company union down at Murdock Park. He came down and seemed to personally talk to each and every person that showed up (over 200).
He always seemed like a good guy to me, before I was old enough to know what liberal and conservative were or Democrat or Republican… I never cared which one he was. He was a normal guy and never had a big-city attitude about his job, even though the city was growing by leaps and bounds throughout his tenure.
When I was a kid, I remember the troubles that the railroads caused. My mom’s best friend lived near 18th and Greenbush, and the only way you could get to their house and guarantee not to get a train was to take Schuyler Avenue around. You could get stuck behind Market Square, at 18th and Elmwood, or at 9th and Greenbush trying to get there. I haven’t been back much since the Relocation was completed, but I remember sitting in the car for 10 minutes waiting in the summer before we had air conditioning.
Very sad day in Lafayette history…
he was a good man and a awesome grandfather. He never was judgemental about anything. He always gave everyone a chance no matter who they were or where they came from. I love you grandpa and rest in piece.