A memorial service — a celebration of his life and career — for former Gov. Jim Florio was held Monday at Camden County College’s Blackwood campus. Florio died last Monday at the age of 85. He was a longtime public servant who held the governor’s office from 1990 to 1994.
Florio had deep South Jersey roots, having attended Rutgers Law School in Camden and working for the city’s legal department before representing the area at state and federal levels for decades. Monday’s memorial service was open to the public, with Florio’s family along with every former living New Jersey governor there. Members of Congress and the state Legislature were also in attendance.
He was remembered for remaining active on critical issues in the state long after holding office and was a regular in the halls of the State House. “When I was seeking this office and throughout the nearly past now five years, Jim was always available, whether it was my calling asking for advice or his calling me to offer it,” said Gov. Phil. Murphy. “His words were never tailored to what he thought I wanted to hear, they were always the words he believed I needed to hear.”
