TALLAHASSEE, FL — Former Florida State President and former Senator John Thrasher has passed away following cancer diagnosis. In April, The Southern Group, Florida, which Thrasher was a co-founder of, announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. He was 81 years old.
On X, Governor Ron DeSantis shared his condolences, saying in part,
John lived a remarkable life — and he made a big difference in the lives of so many in our state. We send our condolences to Jean and the entire Thrasher family. RIP.
Casey and I are sad to learn that John Thrasher has passed away.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 30, 2025
John was a decorated combat veteran, served the state well as both Speaker of the House and as a Florida senator, and provided great leadership as the president of his alma mater, Florida State University.
John…
Trasher served as Florida State's 15th president from 2014-2021. Current FSU President Richard McCullough released a statement saying,
John’s love for Florida State University was truly inspiring. As an alumnus, legislator, trustee, and president, he devoted his life to elevating FSU’s national reputation and helping the university reach new heights in student success, academic excellence, and research. Jai and I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed to have known him and will always cherish the time we spent together at university events, out on the golf course, or sharing a meal. John had a remarkable ability to bring people together with his warmth, humor, and unmistakable charm.
In a statement from FSU, Thrasher is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jean, also known to many students as GiGi; their children, Jennifer Jordan (Don), Jon (Millie) Thrasher, and Julie (Mark) Weinberg; and eight grandchildren — Ashley Williamson (Matt), Will Jordan; Mason, Merritt, and Maddox Weinberg; Walker, Rebecca, and Jacob Thrasher.
A private burial has been planned in Orange Park, Florida, and a celebration of life will be held August 19 at Florida State University’s Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.
READ FSU BIOGRAPHY BELOW:
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, on Dec. 18, 1943, Thrasher was raised in Jacksonville. He arrived at FSU in 1961 as a 17-year-old freshman who was the first in his family to finish high school and go on to college. He met Jean during a summer break, and they married in 1964 during his senior year of college. He said he got his best grades ever that year.
After earning his business degree in 1965, he served in the U.S. Army, receiving the Army Commendation Medal and two Bronze Stars for his service in Vietnam. He returned to Florida State to earn a law degree in 1972.
His career spanned law, government, and education. He served two decades as general counsel to the Florida Medical Association and co-founded The Southern Group, a prominent governmental relations firm. Thrasher’s political life began on the Clay County School Board and continued in the Florida House of Representatives, where he was unanimously elected Speaker in 1998.
While in the Legislature, he played a key role in passing the legislation that established the FSU College of Medicine — which, at the time, was the nation’s first new school of medicine in 20 years. A building at the college is named in his honor.
He later served in the Florida Senate and chaired the Republican Party of Florida. In higher education, he was named the first chair of FSU’s Board of Trustees in 2001 and served on the board until 2006.
Thrasher became FSU president in 2014 at age 70, describing the role as his “dream job.” Under his leadership, the university made substantial investments in student success initiatives, experienced an increase in graduate enrollment, and achieved historic milestones in faculty hiring, research funding, and national recognition.
Under Thrasher, the university successfully completed Raise the Torch: The Campaign for Florida State — its most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history. The campaign was highlighted by a $100 million gift from Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation — the largest gift in university history — to create what is now the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. Funds raised and committed during the campaign also created or enhanced more than 1,300 student scholarships and supported nearly 100 professorships.
TO READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM FLORIDA STATE AND THRASHER'S BIOGRAPHY, CLICK HERE.
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