Mayor Bob Walkup

Bob Walkup, a popular former Tucson mayor who served in the office from 1999 through 2011, died on March 12 following a lengthy battle with pulmonary fibrosis, a deadly lung disease. He was 84.

Walkup, the city’s 40th mayor and the last Republican to serve in that capacity, is remembered by Democrats and Republicans alike as a cordial, humane and diplomatic leader who often demonstrated a unique ability to bring people of diverse views together to solve difficult Tucson problems.

“Mayor Walkup was a born statesman who always strived to create the best Tucson possible,” said current Mayor Regina Romero, a Democrat. “Our city is better because of him.

“I had the privilege of serving with Mayor Walkup for four years on the City Council. When I was elected in 2007, Bob was nothing but gracious and approachable, and I still consider him a mentor to this day. His leadership on issues ranging from economic development, water security and transportation positioned Tucson for a strong recovery out of the Great Recession.”

Romero said Walkup “always had a vision to create a lively, bustling downtown for Tucsonans to eat, work, live and play. His advocacy in helping secure a TIGER grant to build the modern streetcar laid the groundwork for the thriving downtown we see today.”

Walkup, a three-term mayor, won his first election in 1999 by garnering 53.7 percent of the vote against Democrat Molly McKasson. His second run against former Democratic Mayor Tom Volgy was closer, with Walkup taking 49.5 percent of the vote to Volgy’s 47.7 percent. Walkup faced no Democratic opposition in coasting to victory for a third term in 2007. He did not seek election a fourth time and was succeeded as mayor in 2011 by Democrat Jonathan

By David Pittman

Rothschild, a Tucson lawyer who described Walkup as quite different from most politicians.

“Bob Walkup, for the most part, was a political outsider,” Rothschild said. “He spent many decades in the private sector as an engineer and an aerospace executive and he viewed his role in office as being a citizen servant rather than a partisan who saw government as an us-against-them proposition. Bob was a problem solver who truly was about trying to build consensus in the community.”

Bob Walkup

Born Nov. 14, 1936, Walkup was raised in Ames, Iowa, where he graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in industrial engineering.

After serving in the Army Corps of Engineers, Walkup worked for three decades in the aerospace industry as a high-ranking executive. He first worked at Fairchild Republic, where he oversaw production of the A-10 Thunderbolt jet aircraft, and later at Hughes Aircraft, today known as Raytheon Missiles & Defense, building avionics equipment, military and commercial aircraft and national defense systems.

Jim Click – a well-known auto dealer, philanthropist, Republican activist and political contributor – first met Walkup in 1999 after he decided to make his first run for mayor. Click was immediately impressed by Walkup and said the two became close personal friends.

“Bob was a helluva guy, and you can quote me on that.” Click said. “He was bright, articulate, outgoing, polite and he had a great sense of humor. His outlook was always optimistic, he never had a bad word to say about anybody and he did a great job as mayor. He got a lot accomplished, even though the Democrats were always in the majority while he was in office. He worked tirelessly to improve the Tucson community. and he will be greatly missed.”

When another Tucson auto dealer, Bob Beaudry, led an effort to place restrictions on the use of Colorado River water through an initiative known as Proposition 200, Click and Walkup were among those who successfully campaigned against the plan. Click said that, if passed, the proposal would have restricted the City of Tucson from using its allocation of Central Arizona Project water for home delivery and curtailed economic growth.

Among many other things, Walkup also played key roles in the consolidation of various economic development groups into a single regional economic organization, today known as Sun Corridor Inc.; and was instrumental in establishing the Regional Transportation Authority, which Pima County voters approved in 2006.

To date, the RTA has invested more than $1.2 billion to improve roadway corridors, safety, transit and the environment in Tucson and Pima County. Biz