Former Southport mayor dies; friends reflect on a life of public service and 'political courage'

Jerry Dove lived his life in service to others.

That service began when he was a soldier in the U.S. Air Force, and it continued throughout his career with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Southport Police Department where he was promoted to chief, and most recently, as mayor of the City of Southport from 2015 to 2019.

“If you open up Webster’s Dictionary and look up public servant, Jerry Dove’s name should be there,” said longtime friend Rep. Charlie Miller (R-Brunswick).

Dove passed away Thursday after a brief illness.

Miller, who was born in Southport, recalled that he was just a teenager when he met Dove the first time. He was immediately struck by Dove’s kindness and his commitment to others.

“He was a good, good person – a good role model,” Miller recalled.

Miller never imagined that he would be working alongside Dove just a few years later. At the time, Miller was a young deputy with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and Dove was still a trooper with the N.C. Highway Patrol.

“He was a mentor to all of us younger guys,” Miller recalled. “It was just a pleasure to be out there on the roads with him at night.”

As a law enforcement officer, Dove had what many called an “old-school” approach. Gene Tomlinson, Southport native and pastor of The Point Church, recalled that Dove would often stop by and check on his father during his later years. Tomlinson explained that at the time, he lived in New Zealand and his brother had installed video cameras inside his father’s home so that they could keep an eye on him.

“I watched Dove come in the house several times at night and check on my dad,” Tomlinson said. “He didn’t have to do that. I’ve never seen that level of humility and service from a public official in my life.”

During his time with highway patrol, Dove got Marco, his first patrol dog. Miller said Dove was the first law enforcement officer in Brunswick County to have a canine. While Dove loved Marco and considered him a good partner, Miller said that Marco was rarely quiet.

“Jerry would get on the radio, and you could barely understand him because Marco would be barking,” Miller said. “That dog barked nonstop, and anytime you’d meet Jerry, he’d be covered in dog hair.”

Dove had canines even when he served with the Southport Police Department, and when he was first elected mayor, Dove could often be seen riding through Southport in his El Camino with his loyal dog Sugarbear riding shotgun.

“Jerry loved his dogs,” Miller added.

Former N.C. Gov. Mike Easley also got to know Dove soon after he moved to the area in the 1980s. At the time, Easley was the district attorney, and he recalls that Dove was a professional in the courtroom.

“He never got upset with a defendant he had arrested and was always willing to cut them a break,” Easley recalled.

Back in the 1980s, Southport was still a small town where everyone knew everyone else, and Easley got to know Dove as a friend and neighbor.

“When he was single, he used to drive his patrol car by our home, and if the grill was smoking, he would stop and Mary would serve him until he ate all of his dinner and mine,” Easley said. “And he’d play some guitar tunes before he left.”

Carolina Beach Town Manager Bruce Oakley, who previously served as Southport’s City manager, also had fond memories of Dove’s guitar playing.

“During Hurricane Florence, he and (firefighter) Madison Drew were playing guitar and singing, which provided staff some much-needed relief from the storm,” Oakley recalled.

In addition to his servant’s heart and his musical abilities, Dove is known for being a statesman. Whether he was giving the prayer before a meal or welcoming dignitaries to Southport, Dove had the ability to command an audience, which served him well when he was elected mayor of Southport in 2015.

Dove’s term as mayor proved to be a difficult time in Southport’s history. The city faced economic challenges, and scandals, and took a significant blow from Hurricane Florence. Dove was a calming presence and brought stability to the city.

“He had political courage and made tough decisions that were best for the city no matter how unpopular they were,” Oakley said.

It is fitting that Dove is remembered as “Chief Mayor” for his service to Southport because those who knew him best say that his love for Southport was evident in everything that he did.

“He loved the city and the people of Southport, and as mayor, he worked hard to maintain the quaint character of the city,” Easley said.

“Jerry came to Southport like he had always lived in Southport,” said Rep. Charlie Miller. “It’s like he was a native.”

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Former Southport mayor, Jerry Dove, dies after brief illness