BocaBeacon.comThe Boca Beacon is Boca Grande's weekly community newspaper.

Subscribe via email

Grab our RSS Feed

Islanders remember Bob Janes

Flags are at half-mast all over Lee County to commemorate the passing of Lee County Commission Bob Janes, who died at his home on Wednesday, March 10 at the age 78.

While the cause of death has not been confirmed, he was fighting a lung condition and recently had to start using oxygen.

Janes was in his third term as Boca Grande’s county commissioner, and played a very  role in island events.

“We were shocked and saddened by the passing of Commissioner Janes,” said Misty Nichols, executive director of the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association. “He was a kind man and a good friend of Boca Grande. He will be sorely missed.”

Nichols worked with Janes on several island projects, including the beach restoration and the iguana committee. She said that on Monday she received a message from him, inquiring as to the status of the iguanas since the cold weather settled into the area.

“He was involved in the most of the island’s projects,” she continued. “He had a great sense of humor, too. He was just a really good man.”

Nichols said she heard from Tallahassee that Janes’ replacement would be named in the next few days. That successor will serve the rest of Janes’ term until the next election. Governor Charlie Crist said that the replacement could be from anywhere in Lee County, but during the actual election process the applicants need to be residents of District 1.

Bob Green, senior supervisor for Lee County Parks and Recreation, said he always enjoyed working with Janes.

“I worked with him several times, particularly with The Island School,” he said. “He seemed like a really nice guy. It’s sad he’s gone.”

Island resident Sue Sligar, who was involved in the creation of The Island School and worked closely with Janes on the project.

“I was really sad to hear the news about Bob Janes, he was a very kind and selfless man,” Sligar said. “There was a lot of pressure on him during the whole controversy over the school. I remember going to his office, sitting with him and his secretary and reading all the ‘pro’ and ‘con’ letters from all the island residents. We had a few meetings about it, just trying to understand what the will of the community truly was.

“ He was very fair about it, and gave it a lot of thought. We even had a couple of conversations, joking about why anyone would go into politics because of occasions like this when there was so much grief involved. He knew it was for the greater good, though, and wanted to do what was best for the community and county. He cared about that more than what people thought about him personally.”

Janes was born August 28, 1931. The Sanibel resident was born in Minneapolis, Minn. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves for 35 years and retired a colonel.

In 1961 Janes entered the political arena in his home state, where he served on the Minneapolis city council and as a Hennepin County commissioner.

In 1969 Janes went to Washington, D.C. where he was named associate director of intergovernmental relations for the vice president under President Nixon. From 1971 to 1976 he was employed by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Janes moved to Florida in the 1980’s and served on the Sanibel Planning Commission and the Sanibel City Council. He was mayor of Sanibel for three years. He was the owner of the Florida Real Estate Academy and other ventures in Lee County, and became vice president of Sanibel SunTrust Bank in 1997. He served in that position for two years.

Janes is survived by his wife, Lynda, and his three daughters, Sandra, Mary and Susan.

In 2006 he encouraged the county board to purchase 5,000 acres within Babcock Ranch for preservation, and just this year the ranch was officially named the Bob Janes Preserve.

On March 10, 2010, the day he died, he was quoted in a press release as saying, “I am honored and humbled that the former Babcock Ranch Preserve is now named the Bob Janes Preserve. Lee County citizens are so very lucky that this beautiful slice of old Florida is forever preserved under our wonderful Conservation 20/20 program.”

U.S. Rep. Connie Mack-Ft. Myers,  responded to the news of Janes’ death by saying, “I was honored to know Bob and work with him on a number of issues affecting Southwest Florida.  Bob was a true public servant in every sense of the word.  I was always struck by his deep commitment to the people he represented in Cape Coral, Pine Island, Sanibel, and Captiva, and his dedicated service will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on our community.

“Mary and I are keeping Bob’s wife, Lynda, and his daughters, Sandra, Mary and Susan, in our thoughts and prayers.”

A  memorial fund for Commissioner Bob Janes has been set up through the Conservation 20/20 Program. Donations will be used on the Bob Janes Preserve,  and may be sent in care of Cathy Olson, Conservation 20/20 Program, 3410 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers FL 33916.

Checks should be made out to “Lee County Board of County Commissioners.”

Please write Bob Janes Memorial Fund in the note section.