Editor:

On June 7 Florence “Flo” Thompson died.

If you live in Greene County, particularly Beavercreek, and never heard of Flo; shame on you. Unlike politicians, who claim to be fighting for you, Flo actually did.

Putting in thousands of hours and often her own money, she was first to hold politicians accountable; fight for smaller government; and stand up for the taxpayer. You know she made politicians nervous when, a few years ago, during a council meeting, council had the Chief of Police escort her out of the room because she was hitting too close to home.

And she started young. At her funeral, a story was told of her as a young girl standing up to her city council that approved cutting down the canopy of trees lining her street to make room for parking meters. They went ahead with their plan, only to take back the meters and plant new trees a few years later.

We didn’t always agree on issues, but I’m proud to have known and worked with her over the years. Our last great venture together was working with several others to defeat the last income tax initiative. She was so sick during one meeting of our group that she held the meeting in her bedroom as she laid in bed; like a sick queen holding court.

In the many big ticket battles and dozens of smaller skirmishes, Flo may have lost more fights than she won, but only because the voting public is too quick to trust their elected officials. Too quick to hand them more taxes and more authority; mostly for enterprises government has no business being involved in.

I’m also proud to have commemorated her in my book, “All Politics is Loco.” In Chapter 2, she is the woman I referred to as “Calamity Jane.”

They say you can’t get to heaven, unless you raised a little hell. If that’s true, Flo is up there with the angels.

R.I.P. Flo “Calamity Jane” Thompson, and continue to give them hell. I’m sure you will.

— Tony Corvo, Beavercreek