James Davis: “I, too, as a fellow Floridian would like to pay tribute tonight to my friend, Tillie Fowler. Tillie was a role model…”

“I, too, as a fellow Floridian would like to pay tribute tonight to my friend, Tillie Fowler. Tillie was a role model, not just for the women who followed in her footsteps, but for all of us who attempt to represent our communities and our Nation with dignity and respect. Through hard work and perseverance, Tillie was a true trail-blazer, one of five women in her class of 106 from Emory University's law school. She was the first female president of the Jacksonville City Council. As we recounted here tonight, in her 8 years in Congress, Tillie rose to the highest rungs of power in the United States Congress in the Republican Caucus. But, in my opinion, what made Tillie so powerful and so special was not the positions that she held, it was the fact that she never lost sight of who she was here to serve. She never forgot where she came from. She relentlessly fought for the people she represented. She served the country. She served her community. It was not just Tillie's resume that was impressive; it was her firm stance on the issues. When Tillie dug in, she dug in. She stood her ground. But she always treated everybody with respect. Regardless of whether they agreed with her or not, she always listened. She treated folks at home that way. She treated everybody that way, including Members of Congress. And Tillie always kept her word. Probably one of the most difficult tests for Tillie was her decision to honor her 8-year term limit pledge.”