Winter Haven’s first African American mayor, Lemuel Geathers, died at the age of 96 last week.

He was instrumental in fighting for equality in his community and spearheading the creation of Polk State College.

The WWII veteran dedicated his life to service and the legacy he left behind is working to honor that.

“My grandfather is from Winter Haven; he was here in the 20s when Winter Haven was called Orange Grove,” Chelsea Sanders said. “I remember spending summers here with my grandparents.”

Sanders and her sister, Brittney Geathers, say their grandfather made a major impact on their lives and spearheaded change in his Winter Haven community.

“It’s extremely exciting to drive around the city with him; he would always give history facts,” Brittney recalled. “He was still alive to help me with the Biden campaign. When I called and told him I was doing that, he said he remembered helping with his 1988 campaign so it was exciting to see.”

Mr. Geathers had a long resume that’s left his loved ones with memories to last a lifetime and a community to reflect on the changes he made in pursuit of equal rights. He was paramount in leading the racial integration of Polk County schools.

“He was so humble with it. Some of these things he’s done, I didn’t learn about it until someone in the community told me,” Chelsea said.

Politics was a common ground for the family; Mr. Geather’s was the first elected Black city commisioner in Winter Haven, but his friend and former colleague, Kenneth Glover, said Geather’s activism started long before that. 

“Reverend Jesse Jackson was running for President in the 80s, and he wanted to come to central Florida to target a city that had drug issues,” Glover explained. “So he came to an area here in Winter Haven called Bogie Bottoms. Reverend Jackson and Mr. Gaether walked down the main street in Bogie Bottom, and the drugs were cleared out there after.”

Glover said he and Gaethers also worked together in Winter Haven’s Voters League.

“He did a lot for this community; he had that drive that paved the way for other people to follow,” said said.

Geather worked to diversify one of the oldest cities in the area, Pughsville, which is also where he’s from.

“We’re learning about so many things that he did in this community; it helps with grieving,” Gaether’s granddaughter, Chelsea, said.

Geather’s wife Juanita said she is still proud of her husband’s accomplishments but admits her memories of him date back a bit further than everyone else.

“One of my favorite memories is when he would tease me in high school,” Mrs. Geathers shared. 

The Geathers family was all smiles on Wednesday as they each talked about their favorite memory of the late Lemuel Geathers – now leaving us with a message of solidarity as they honor him and lay him to rest.  

Visitation for Lemuel Geathers, Sr. will be held on Friday, March 12, from 5-7 p.m. at Hurst Chapel AME Church.

Services will be held at the Lakeside Memorial Park on Saturday, March 13 at 11 a.m.