Former state lawmaker Doug Todd, who paved the way for Arizona freeways, has died

Former state lawmaker Doug Todd died May 24 at age 89.

Todd, from Tempe, was instrumental in the creation of Valley freeways as he sponsored legislation that paved the way for loops 101 and 202. 

Todd spent 14 years in the Arizona Legislature, first elected to the House of Representatives in 1978 and then as a three-term senator. He was elected Maricopa County treasurer in 1992, a position he held until 2004.

Todd died peacefully at home, according to his obituary.

'People-up' approach 

Todd was elected county treasurer in the same year Mary Rose Wilcox was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Todd and Wilcox were on opposite ends of the political spectrum — Todd a Republican, Wilcox a Democrat — but she enjoyed working with him and admired him as a public servant.

"I think Doug had enough foresight in him that he knew he had to work with everybody," Wilcox said.

Todd approached issues from the "people up," she said.

He spearheaded the creation of the county's STAR Center, or "Supervisors Treasurer Assessor Recorder," a call center that made it easier for residents to ask questions about their taxes, Wilcox said.

A logical man, he was skilled at figuring out how to take care of finances, she said.

He made continued efforts to improve his office, always requesting to update machinery and making sure employees had the most up-to-date tools.

"Many governments are kind of antiquated, and Doug wanted to make sure that his was brought up to speed," Wilcox said. 

The two would often banter back and forth about the issues of the day. Todd livened up meetings with his jovial manner, but Wilcox knew he would always take important matters seriously, aiming to do what's best for the county.

"He'd make people feel like they were working for the people," Wilcox said. "I always liked that a lot."

"He was a champion for Maricopa," Wilcox said. "In Arizona, we have a lot of good folks, and I looked at him in that vein."

A Tempe farmer

Todd grew up in the Prescott area and graduated from Arizona State College's agriculture school in 1951.

He farmed with his father-in-law south of Baseline Road in Tempe, where he and his wife, Mary Anne, raised five children. 

When the farm was sold in the 1970s, he helped found Lakeshore Bible Church on the land. Todd would stay involved with the church, as a trustee and a member, for the rest of his life. He served on the search committee that selected Steve Taylor as the church's pastor in 2007.

Taylor, who is still pastor of the church, referred to Todd's generosity and sense of community, as well as his easy laugh and deep, booming voice.

"I would say he had one volume," Taylor said. "When he came into the room, you knew he was there."

Taylor found Todd to be the kind of person one is immediately drawn to. 

"In many ways, he was like a second father," he said.

Bola ties encouraged at June 15 service

Funeral services will be held 9:30 a.m. June 15, at Dayspring United Methodist Church.

Todd had an affinity for bola ties, which he would often wear to church and formal occasions, Taylor said. Todd's obituary encourages mourners to wear bola ties in his honor.

Have something you want covered? Contact the reporter at rmurdock@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @RiMurdock.

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