It is easy for citizens to dismiss public servants and declare that “they are all the same.''

That's simply not true. Alabama lost one of its most prominent members of Congress on Sunday.

Gardendale Sen. Jack Biddle III has died at the age of 94. Jack was a mentor, a dear friend, and perhaps the most genuine person I have ever met. I will miss him very much when he is gone.

Jack Biddle entered public office in 1974 when he was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives. At the time, all members of Congress were Democrats, and Jack served more than two terms in the House as a conservative Democrat.

In 1983, when a court ordered a special election using new maps, Democrats removed Jack from the ballot, forcing him to run for Congress as an independent.

Steve Flowers, a longtime Montgomery observer, said Jack's “conservative philosophy ostracized him as a Democrat.” In a three-way race, Mr Biddle defeated two of his opponents, becoming the rare independent candidate to succeed at the polls.

After serving the remainder of his term as an independent, Jack officially changed parties in 1986 and ran for the House of Representatives as a Republican. With his election as a Republican, Jack Biddle became the first member of Congress to be elected as a Democrat, independent, and Republican.

Jack ran for the Alabama State Senate and served there from 1994 to 2006.

Jack was elected floor leader by three governors. He chaired numerous legislative committees, including regulations. conservation and natural resources. and the Joint Transportation Committee.

“Jack loved people and especially our city,” Gardendale Mayor Hogeland said.

Whether Jack served as part of the majority or minority of an organization, he always managed to get the job done for his constituents. Years after his time in Congress ended, Jack told me he had a lingering regret: “I no longer have a platform that I can use to help people.”

But that wasn't the case. Jack's influence continued long after his retirement.

Jack Biddle was a lifelong advocate for mental health issues. In addition to his tireless work as a legislator, he served on the Board of Trustees of the Office of Mental Health, the UAB Psychiatry Advisory Committee, the Glenwood Board of Directors, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Jack's dedication has made our state's mental health delivery system better than it would have been without his dedication.

Jack Biddle was a skilled and avid hunter and a staunch defender of the Two Seas.n.d. Fixed. He was honored as the Alabama Wildlife Federation's Conservationist of the Year and served on the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Committee.

During his time in Congress, Jack Biddle was known for his candor and wit.

When I was a senator, Jack was the senator most often cited by his fellow senators. In fact, his witty observations came to be known collectively as “Biddleism.”

Mr. Biddle embarrasses his colleague from Walker County by claiming, “I believe that if you have a brother in prison and a brother in Walker County, the first thing you should do is get that brother out of Walker County.'' I liked doing it.

Although Jack was quick-witted and liked to “tease” his co-workers, he treated all of his co-workers with respect, and in turn, they respected him. Today, the Senate Health Committee hearing room is named after him.

Jack Biddle served his country as a counterintelligence officer during the Korean War.he He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Nena Berry Biddle, and is survived by his son John and daughter Jean.

A service celebrating the life of Jack Biddle will be held this Wednesday at Gardendale Heritage Funeral Home. I'm sure Jack has started celebrating the moment of being reunited with his beloved wife Nena, so something tells me that we're on our way again.

Steve French is a former member of the Alabama State Senate, representing District 15 from 1998 to 2010.