Bill Gunter – a former Florida congressman, state treasurer and insurance commissioner – died at his Tallahassee home Monday afternoon. He was 89.

Gunter’s death was confirmed by funeral director Rocky Bevis, who said he will be handling funeral arrangements.

Gunter, who had been in home hospice care, died “peacefully, surrounded by his family,” Bevis said. A memorial service is planned; details are forthcoming.

“Throughout his decades of leadership on both the state and federal level, Bill always worked in a bipartisan way, maintaining a high level of integrity, and has stayed true to his rural Florida values and the values of Floridians,” Economic Club of Florida chair Bill Moor said when Gunter was awarded the Stan Tait Memorial Award in 2021.

According to Tallahassee Democrat archives, Gunter was born in Jacksonville and grew up on the family dairy farm outside Live Oak. He was active in the Future Farmers of America and later elected its national president while a student at the University of Florida. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in agriculture, followed by service in the Army.

He began his insurance career in 1959 with State Farm in Orlando; in 1961, he was promoted to regional agency manager.

His political career began in 1966 when he was elected to the Florida Senate as a Democrat, representing Orange and Seminole Counties. In 1972, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as the first member from Florida’s new 5th congressional district.

He returned to Florida in 1976, serving on the Florida Cabinet as state insurance commissioner, treasurer and state fire marshal for the next 12 years.

Gunter “was a terrific mentor to many, including me,” said Barney Bishop III, who served as Gunter’s administrative assistant in 1983-87. “It was my first job in Tallahassee … Bill taught me everything about state government and the Cabinet, including the importance of developing relationships and being a gentleman.”

Gunter returned to the private sector in 1989, joining Rogers-Atkins Insurance in Tallahassee as a shareholder partner, which then became Rogers, Gunter, Vaughn Insurance, Inc. He served as chairman of the board until his retirement in 2018.

He was designated a “Great Floridian” by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet in 2013 “in recognition of his lifelong record of public service.”

Gunter is survived by wife Kathy Atkins-Gunter; daughters Rachel Gunter Shapard and Rebecca Gunter Wood; sons Bart Gunter and Joel Gunter; a stepdaughter, Melinda Baker, stepson Christopher Baker; and several grandchildren.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Bill Gunter, former state treasurer and insurance commissioner, dies