Longtime Florida Statesman, Fred Karl, Dies at 88

Fred Karl, a former state legislator, county administrator and Florida Supreme Court justice, died early Thursday at home. He was 88.

By MEREDITH RUTLANDTAMPA BAY TIMES

TAMPA | Fred Karl, a former state legislator, county administrator and Florida Supreme Court justice, died early Thursday at home. He was 88.Karl had been in declining health in recent months since fracturing a vertebra. After going from Tampa General Hospital to home hospice care, he had talked openly with his family about what was to come."His body just shut down," said Tami Karl, his daughter. "He said, ‘It's time to go home.'"Karl served on the Florida Supreme Court in the 1970s — the last justice to be elected, rather than appointed, to that position.He earned several awards for his service, including the 2009 Vaughn Humanitarian Award.When one looked for a squeaky-clean name, they thought of Karl."Fred Karl was a war hero, dutiful public servant and statesman," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. "No matter his role, Fred was always a calming influence on those around him. He believed that fairness should always carry the day, and his love for our community and the people, who shaped it, regardless of their color or creed, superseded anything else."One career merged into another, and he came out of retirement three times — most recently to become Tampa city attorney after former Mayor Pam Iorio was elected.Iorio said Karl valued duty, sacrifice and civic engagement as "necessary components of a full and meaningful life.""Fred Karl was born to be a public servant. He tackled issues with a sense of fairness, respect and honesty, always reflecting his personal and professional high standards," the former mayor said in a statement. "Fred has left a significant legacy to our state, county and city. For me, he has been a friend and a mentor who always generously shared his wisdom and support. He will be deeply missed by all whose lives he touched and shaped."In 2010, he told a Tampa Bay Times reporter that his body was "gone to hell." He had progressive Parkinson's disease, heart trouble and diabetes.After moving to Tampa in 1988, Karl served as county attorney, as the county administrator and held down the top spot at Tampa General Hospital."He's worn many hats," said former Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan Platt. "And he's worn them well. He was a giant of a person. He made an impact. He served on the Supreme Court of the State of Florida."The county once set his name in stone by naming a Tampa high-rise the Frederick B. Karl County Center. Times archives show Karl negotiated to get the city a bargain.Retired from the practice of law since 2002, he returned to his familiar role as public servant in March 2003 after Iorio's election.In one of her first acts in office, she named him as a key adviser for her first months. He was picked to serve as city attorney with the main duty of helping the mayor choose senior staffers.Two years earlier, the Hillsborough County Commission voted to put his name on the 28-story County Center, the seat of power in the county.As county administrator in 1992, Karl negotiated the purchase of the downtown skyscraper, appraised at $90 million, for the bargain price of $30 million.At the dedication, more than 100 friends and family members turned out for the unveiling of a bronze plaque bearing Karl's image."This is very important to me," Karl said after the ceremony. "It says the life that I lived, the things that I tried to do and the sacrifices I've made had some meaning."A man who held powerful jobs for much of his life, he stepped down from the top spot at Tampa General on May 20, 1996, with mixed feelings.Although he looked ahead for shorter work weeks with a law firm and as a lobbyist, he looked back at an institution to which he lent his reputation, and for which he developed much affection."I felt a real need to have somebody in the hospital job who had some education and experience in hospital management," he said in explaining his departure.Karl's own area of expertise was in public administration. He put an emphasis on making improvements while showing courtesy to customers.In the Legislature, he was "Mr. Consumer," the primary author of Florida's no-fault automobile liability insurance system and the man given credit for creating the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities.A memorial service will be held at the Fred B. Karl County Center, but details hadn't been released Thursday.