To honor Geraldine Thompson, Gov. DeSantis orders flags flown at half-staff

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 1/4/23-Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, speaks during the Agriculture Committee, Wednesday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Gov. Ron DeSantis is ordering flags to be flown at half-staff Thursday to pay tribute to Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who died last month.

The Democrat, who represented Orlando in Tallahassee for nearly two decades, died at age 76 following surgery complications.

“To honor Senator Geraldine Thompson, I hereby direct the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida and all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout Orange County from sunrise to sunset on Thursday,” DeSantis said in his order Tuesday.

Thursday is the same day lawmakers will celebrate Thompson’s life on the Senate floor during a noon tribute.

Last month, her colleagues in the Senate, local officials and other community leaders gathered for Thompson’s funeral in Orlando.

Thomson served in the House from 2006-2012 and then again from 2018-2022. She was a Senator from 2012-2016 and then again in 2022, and she had been named the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education.

“Sen. Thompson’s passing is a profound loss for the Senate,” Senate President Ben Albritton wrote in a memo to lawmakers to share the news of her death. “Her watchful eye, cheerful smile, and thoughtful, well-researched, and spirited debate will be greatly missed.”

Prior to becoming a lawmaker, Thompson was the Director of the Wells’Built Museum of American-American History in Orlando’s Parramore district and was passionate about teaching and celebrating Black history.

“Sen. Geraldine Thompson was a force — a trailblazer, a historian, a fierce advocate, and a devoted mother and grandmother who worked every day to uplift all Floridians, ensuring that no one was left behind,” U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost said in a statement last month.

“For nearly 20 years in the Florida Legislature, she broke barriers and created opportunities, especially for Black and Brown communities and those too often overlooked. She paved the way for many, including myself, to step up and serve our communities.”