Jesse Paul Gaddis

1932 - 2019

Jesse Paul Gaddis, 87, passed away on September 28, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Susan, his sons Gregory, Michael, Perry, J. Ryan, John Paul, daughter Laurie, his grandchildren, Jessica, Tiffany, Naomi, Kristen, Michael, Kenneth, Nicholas, and Meghan, and his five great grandchildren. He is predeceased by his son Scott.

Born on March 3, 1932, in Bloomington, Indiana, he was raised in rural southern Indiana. He was a child of the Great Depression. When he was 15 he left home and school to work in a factory in Indianapolis. He held various jobs in the Midwest until he joined the Merchant Marine at age 17. During the time he spent in the Merchant Marine he said, there weren't very many ports worldwide that he didn't visit.

In the mid 1950's Jesse relocated from Indiana to Northern Virginia where he met his first wife Evangeline. In 1960 he moved to Broward County, Florida, and settled in Fort Lauderdale. His business career in Broward began with the purchase of a service station, B&L Service, located at the intersection of US 1 (then a two lane road) and 6th street. That acquisition spurred a six decade career that included ground transportation, communications, insurance, real estate development and lending.

Shortly after acquiring B&L Service, and with his endless appetite for knowledge, Mr. Gaddis joined the International Taxicab Association (eventually the Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association). In that association he developed relationships with leading taxicab operators throughout the United States and as a result created a taxicab system that incorporated industry best-practices. Yellow Cab of Broward Taxis are powered by the most updated computer systems in the industry. Some "firsts" of the Gaddis taxi legacy are: in 1967 Yellow Cab of Broward added wheel chair access to its fleet, in 1986 computer aided dispatch was added as value for the passengers, in 2002, Yellow Cab was the first company to install GPS technology as a resource to send the closest car to pick up awaiting clients, and in 2012, Yellow Cab of Broward installed in-vehicle cameras as a way to ensure the safety of all Yellow Cab of Broward riders.

Jesses' ground transportation companies were not confined to taxicabs or to Broward County. During his career he operated Yellow Cabs in Philadelphia, Tallahassee and Palm Beach. In the 1990's he operated the largest charter bus company in the Southeast United States, with over 200 buses operating out of terminals in Orlando, Cape Canaveral, Atlanta and Tampa as well as Broward County. Beginning in 1976 he operated the shared ride system (now Go Shuttle) out of the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.

In the early 1980's Jesse met his second wife Susan who turned out to be the love of his life. They married shortly thereafter, and explored the world together. She has remained by his side for the last 37 years.

Jesses' first line of business was ground transportation, but his passion was real estate acquisition and development. He was instrumental, with Peter Feldman, in the consolidation and development of Flagler Village. In the late 1990's he purchased 20 acres on the south side of the 17th Street Causeway from Exxon, which had operated a tank farm on the property, and developed it into the Harbor Shops. He developed properties in Broward County, throughout the State of Florida, and in North Carolina.

Jesse held several appointed positions, including the Tourist Development Commission, the Port Everglades Association and the state-wide Transportation Disadvantaged Commission. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association. In 1979 he was the TLPA's Operator of the Year. In 2014 Jesse was recognized by the TLPA, an organization that had existed for over 100 years, with its first Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jesses' philanthropic associations during his illustrious life are too many to list. He didn't like to draw attention to them anyway; however, they cannot be ignored as Broward County has always been the place he loved and called home. Make-A-Wish, Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention(FISPY'S), Cystic Fibrosis Gold Coast Guild, United Way of Broward County, NAMI of Broward County, United Negro College Fund (UNCF), The Jewish Federation, Jack & Jill Children's Center, The Exceptional Theater Company, Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Children's Diagnostic and Treatment Center(CDTC), The Special Olympics of Florida, Mothers Against Drunk Driving(MADD), Women in Distress, The Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, and PAWS are some of the organizations that benefited from Gaddis' generous giving.

Jesse was devoted to his family. His grandchildren described him as "loving, caring, and was always supportive towards their goals and ambitions." They were fortunate that he was involved in their lives, and he attended all their major events, including graduations and weddings. Jesse and Susan enjoyed traveling. Their primary residence was in Broward County, but they enjoyed spending time at their homes in Sebastian, North Carolina, and the Bahamas.

Entrepreneur, loyal friend, philanthropist, generous employer, or family man…..Jesse Gaddis will be missed and NEVER forgotten.