Public servant Rodney Colson dies

Rodney Clyde Colson had just been elected to the Hillsborough County Commission in 1982 when three of his fellow commissioners were arrested on federal bribery charges.

Colson and fellow commissioner Jan Platt, also newly elected, hung on and became instrumental in fashioning a new charter for county government, a charter that increased from five to seven the number of commissioners on the board. It also drew lines between the responsibilities of the commission and administration. It's the charter that is in place today.

Colson died Friday in Lakeland, where he had lived for the past eight years. He was 85.

"He was gentleman in every sense of the word," recalled Platt on Monday. "He always was very polite and not contentious with other commissioners or the public. He was a joy to work with."

She recalled the first few months of their commission tenure after their November 1982 election. At the time, there were five members of the commission.

"Three commissioners were arrested in February 1983," Platt said, "Rodney and I were the two commissioners left standing."

A third commissioner was appointed by the governor, she said, so the board could continue conducting business. It was during that time she got to know Colson well.

"He and I weathered those storms together," Platt said. "We formed a bond because we were there from the beginning."

A longtime educator, Colson retired from the Hillsborough County school district as an assistant principal for personnel before running for county commission.

"He brought that wealth of experience to the county at a time when it was sorely needed," Platt said.

Colson was born in Plant City and lived there most of his life. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jackie; a son, Clay; and two sisters, Carmen Walker and Ebbie Hamilton.

A service is scheduled for noon on Sept. 7 at Plant City's First Baptist Church.

Growing up in Plant City, Colson became entrenched in the strawberry industry and served as a Florida Strawberry Festival board member for years.

Mike Sparkman, president of the festival, said he knew Colson best through church and as director emeritus at the festival.

"As a family man, as a teacher and educator and as a county commissioner and director of the festival, Rodney took his responsibilities very seriously," Sparkman said. "He always did his homework."

Colson became lifelong friends with Joe Newsome. Both men have their names on Hillsborough County schools: Colson Elementary in Seffner and Newsome High in FishHawk.

"Rodney was a good man," Newsome said, "my right arm man when I first joined the school board. With Rodney, there were no negatives. He was honest to the core. You could always depend on Rodney to give you a straight answer."

Colson was a teacher at Plant City High School (now Tomlin Middle School) when Newsome attended there in 1956.

"He was humble, bright and a good person. Rodney Colson was the salt of the earth," Newsome said.