Former City of Miami Commissioner Athalie Range - 91 years young - has passed away. She will be missed by all who knew her. She was a small woman but she packed a big wallop. I remember once she had a headache and asked for aspirin. I gave her one, she said "That will never do, give me three." She is the only person I know who took 3 at a time. One tough woman! She inspired me to be a better activist.
I loved her stories of swimming at Bear Cut and taking the boat to Virginia Key Beach Park. She said going to Virginia Key was very social. She met so many people on the way to the boat, and stopped to talk, that sometimes she missed the boat but it didn't matter.
She was decisive, smart and good humored - she always smiled ear to ear. I loved her voice - so graceful. I will miss Mrs. Range so much. Please feel free to share your stories about this wonderful lady. Article and Audio of Mrs. Range
5 comments:
I like your posted photo, that head cock...the smile. That is how I will picture Mother Range - one powerhouse of a woman - in my mind forever.
Amazingly, I was talking about Athalie at a function last night, re: when we took her to Biscayne National Park some years ago, to share the story of Parson Jones and Sir Lancelot Jones, and the island(s) the Jones family owned in Biscayne Bay since 1897, and she remarked:
"How come I never heard this before? You mean to tell me that when we were fighting for a little sliver of beach (THE Virginia Key) in the Jim Crow years, there were black people owning ISLANDS right across the Bay and I never knew about them?"
God Speed her soul to Divine Rest ...she certainly inspired us while she was here...
love,
Ms. Range was a person of great character and spirit and will truly be missed by so many.
I remember when the City of Miami closed the public beach at Virginia Key and the City of Miami Commission led by Mayor crazy Joe were acting as if they were a the heads of a kingdom at their city meeting. The place was packed with lots of people who were protesting the closure and everyone was fighting with JL Plumber and the rest of the commission who really wanted the last vestige of nature destroyed and more condos built. As we protested loudly Ms. Range entered the chambers and with a smile and a nod was able to gain the respect of every commissioner and very eloquently recounted her youth on Virginia Key.
With great respect the City Commission and the audience listen to her words in utter silence, I even saw JL nod in agreement with the former Commissioner.
It took 4 long years for the public to win the battle to stop the development and return the beach to the public. On the day of the reopening, Ms Range had that same fire in her eyes and the kindness in her smile that with all respect to her was probably the reason why the Beach was now given back to the people of Miami.
Ms. Range will be missed by lots of people but her legacy of Virginia Key will live on.
Thank You Ms. Range and God Bless you!
When she was in her late 80's, I found Mrs. Range outside in the parking lot of the Range Funeral Home directing the traffic in the lot. She did it all. Whatever had to be done, she was one to roll up her sleeves and do it. I can picture her now, up in heaven getting everyone organized!
I had the privilege of watching Ms. Range chair a meeting of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. She used Robert's Rules of Order like a magic wand, with dignity, grace, and impeccable logic. It was a short meeting at which much was accomplished. She never raised her voice or made any unnecessary comment.
I felt we were all in a state of grace.
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