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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 20, 2006 Former Ashland mayor, known as 'Silver Fox,' dies By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune Known as an even-handed conservative and classic Southern gentleman — and nicknamed the "Silver Fox" — Gordon Medaris presided as two-term mayor over a rambunctious and liberal-leaning Ashland City Council through most of the 1980s. He died Tuesday at 93. "A very sweet man, full of grace," said ex-Ashland mayor Cathy Shaw, recalling their regular dances at charity balls. "He looked like he was sent from central casting to fill the role of mayor — tall, properly dressed, handling meetings and public events with sophistication and aplomb." A public funeral service and burial is planned at 1 p.m. Monday at Mountain View Cemetery, off East Main Street in Ashland. A retired DuPont executive, Medaris was not one to present new programs, preferring, said Shaw, to "keep a firm hand on a monster City Council." Medaris, who served from 1980 to 1988, opposed the two liberal initiatives of his day — striking a city ordinance against practice of the "occult arts," such as astrology and palm-reading, and making the town a nuclear-free zone. Advertisement "He was conservative but didn't show it much," said former councilman Don Laws. "He really tricked us that one time, vetoing the motion to get rid of the occult law. That gave him and conservative churches time to mount a referendum and get the law back on the books." In a Mail Tribune story at the time, Medaris observed, "The church people were upset. They let their voice be heard. I am convinced that the majority of the citizens of Ashland want the city to enact legislation that would exercise some control over the practice of occult arts ... in our city." The law, which was never enforced, was declared unconstitutional a few years later. Former City Councilwoman Pat Acklin called Medaris a "process guy," rather than an "agenda-driven politician" — a professional who was easy to work with, a leader who often took council members and others to lunch to listen to their concerns about upcoming issues. "Our relationship was not exactly like a grandfather, but there was that kind of synergy," said Acklin, an urban planner. "Here was an older, conservative man and me a young, liberal woman and he gave us all a chance to participate. We were all marching toward a consensus, a common mission, instead of polarization. It was more like a board of directors than a political agenda. "I hope our nice town can get the newer people to know what a unique and special place it was — and build consensus, instead of getting angry and taking their marbles home. Gordon captured and lived that community spirit." Developer Dan Ralls said Medaris helped him and other partners develop the light industrial park by the south interchange. "He always struck me as the epitome of a country gentleman — always very accommodating." Medaris was born July 23, 1912, in Pecos, Texas, the son of an itinerant Baptist minister. He was raised in Memphis, Tenn., where in the late 1940s he began a lifelong career with DuPont, working in many cities and becoming its national sales manager, said his son, Gordon Medaris Jr. "He was a Southern boy at heart, in a good way, the perfect Southern gentleman and that's how people responded to him," Medaris Jr. said. "I'm sure the liberalism of Ashland put him to the test sometimes, but he loved being mayor, loved the people of the town and, though he was conservative in a fiscal way, he wasn't that political. He was conservative in the sense that he thought people should be responsible for their actions." Mayor Medaris' wife, Ramelle, died in 1989. His son is a professor emeritus of geology at University of Wisconsin. His daughter, Ramelle, lives in Ireland. He is survived by five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Email Security Advertisement s Advertisement