Jane Gullatt

Phenix's mayor of the '80s dies

City's first female mayor served 1980-89, then joined Alabama Legislature

BY ERIN SIMPSON AND JERRY F. RUTLEDGE
Staff Writers

Becoming Phenix City's first female mayor was just a stepping stone in Jane Gullatt's life as a role model for Phenix City leaders.

She was elected mayor in 1980, serving nine years before becoming one of only seven women serving in the Alabama House of Representatives in the early 1990s.

Gullatt, 72, died early Tuesday morning of a stroke after a heart attack hospitalized her late last week.

"I thought that a woman being in politics -- she was the leader in this area," said Peggy Martin, Phenix City's second female mayor. "She was an encouragement to me in the political realm. She'll be sorely missed."

Former Mayor Sonny Coulter was on council during Gullatt's last term as mayor. "In February of her last year in office as mayor, she told me to stop by her office. She said she had something to talk to me about," Coulter said. "She was not going to seek re-election as mayor, and she wanted me to run for mayor. I said, 'Jane, I just don't really feel like I'm ready to be mayor.' She said, 'Yes, you are.' She was very determined."

That was in 1989. Coulter ran for mayor and was elected to two terms. He said he talked to Gullatt several times a week throughout his first two terms as mayor. "I've just always counted her as a friend."

Coulter said that she was "such a political animal." "She was always cognizant of how something was going to be received in the public," he said. "What a great representative she was of our city. People will come along to take Jane's place, but they won't ever replace her."

Gullatt downplayed her role in Phenix City's history, at one time saying, "Building a city is like building a puzzle trying to plug in the pieces -- only you never finish."

Judy Ezell is Gullatt's only sister. She was with her Monday night at Doctors Hospital in Columbus.

"It was just such a shock," she said. "We thought she was doing better."

Ezell and Gullatt were only 14 months apart in age and graduated from the University of Alabama at the same time. This year, the two were inducted into the university's "Golden 50s Club." All three siblings attended the university; brother Bert Gullatt still lives in Tuscaloosa.

"She was a great sister. She was close to all the family," Ezell said. "I was very proud of her."

Gullatt's niece, Julie Harris, said her aunt was a big part of her childhood. Gullatt never had any children of her own. "She was a big Alabama fan. They really had us brainwashed," Harris said. "I'm told I could sing the Alabama fight song by the time I was 4."

Harris said she'll always remember Gullatt's religious faith and her love of her community. "She really cared a lot for the city of Phenix City and wanted it to progress," she said. "She was very attached to her roots, her community."

Journalism career

Prior to her political career, Gullatt was a journalist for 20 years working for the Columbus Enquirer, Pensacola News and Tuscaloosa News. For seven years, she was editor and publisher of the Phenix Citizen.

Gullatt began her political career when elected to the Phenix City Council in 1977 -- the first woman to serve as a councilor.

Sammy Howard, the city's mayor after Coulter, said Gullatt was Phenix City's "No. 1 citizen."

"Everyone knew Jane. I loved her to death," Howard said. "During my term as mayor, there were many times I would call her and get her opinion. There's nothing like having someone that's been through it already. You could always count on her for a good, solid answer."

Lee Lott, another former mayor, has known Gullatt since their school days. He met Gullatt in the mid-1940s and graduated from Central High School in 1949, the year before her graduation.

"She was a very strong-willed person, very honest, a hard worker and very intelligent," Lott said. "She cared an awful lot about her community."

He said those characteristics were typical of Gullatt from their very first meeting until the final time he talked to her in the last month.

"I would always see her at the post office and we would chat about Phenix City. I guess that was her first love, her hometown," Lott said.

He also said she had an exceptional love for her high school classmates. Invariably, a conversation with her would include discussion of how some of the Central High students of their era were doing in life.

"She had a love for her classmates and their welfare that showed outwardly," he said. "Whenever we would talk, she would always get around to mentioning someone we went to high school with. She was a very respected person in the community from an educational standpoint and from her helping other people."

Gullatt was also involved in the religious community. She had been a "faithful" member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Phenix City since birth, said the Rev. Dan Nixon, Trinity's pastor. She served in several leadership capacities, including post on the board of trustees, the finance committee and the administrative council. Gullatt was a member of Trinity's pastor-parish relations committee when she died.

"She was very faithful -- she only missed a handful of Sundays her whole membership," Nixon said.

Nixon said Gullatt told him the Lord had directed her path her entire life and if his direction took her away, she was ready to go.

"She had a real strong faith," he said.

In addition to her older brother and younger sister, Gullatt is survived by her husband, Eddie.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary in Phenix City. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Trinity. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Trinity's building fund.