Former Archer Mayor Roberta “Betty” Lopez Remembered as Historic Leader

       ARCHER – Roberta “Betty” Campbell Lopez, a trailblazing civic leader whose decades of service helped shape Archer’s community development, preservation efforts and local government, is being remembered for a lifetime devoted to her hometown.
     Lopez was 87 and died Feb. 11. Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Queen of Peace Catholic Community, 10900 S.W. 24th Ave., Gainesville. Viewing will be held one hour prior to the service.
     A native of Archer, Lopez dedicated much of her life to strengthening the city through public service and grassroots community work. Known for her strength, compassion and tireless work ethic, she made history as the first African American woman elected to the Archer City Commission. She later served as vice mayor and, in 2010, became Archer’s first African American female mayor.
     Her leadership marked a significant milestone in the city’s civic history, reflecting a lifelong commitment to community engagement and representation.  Lopez believed deeply in service and civic responsibility. Alongside her husband, Francisco “Frank” Lopez, she helped register residents to vote, organized neighbors and co-founded the Northwest Archer Community Association. Through the association, she led beautification efforts, supported senior residents, created youth programs and worked to strengthen neighborhoods.
     One of Lopez’s most enduring legacies is the Archer Community Center, now a central gathering space for meetings, youth programs and cultural events. In 2003, she helped lead the effort to transform an abandoned 1936 high school gymnasium into a multipurpose community facility.
     Through years of advocacy and persistent fundraising, more than $900,000 was secured through grants, government partnerships and community support. The center officially opened in 2011 and remains a cornerstone of community life in Archer.
     Beyond elected office, Lopez remained deeply involved in volunteer leadership. She served on numerous boards and advisory committees, including the Alachua County Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization Citizen Advisory Committee, Keep Alachua County Beautiful, the Alachua County Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee, the Alachua County Indigent Healthcare Committee, Habitat for Humanity and the Archer Historical Society.
     She also served as president of the Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Organization through 2025, working to preserve and protect sacred ground that holds the history of generations of Archer families, including veterans and ancestors.
     Lopez’s dedication was shaped by defining experiences early in her life. As a young woman living in Washington, D.C., she attended the historic March on Washington in 1963 and witnessed the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech firsthand, a moment her family said helped guide her lifelong commitment to civic engagement.
     Professionally, Lopez held positions with Potomac Electric and Power Company, Eastern Airlines, United Way and Hillsborough County government, where she retired as a community affairs director.
     After returning to Archer in 2000 to care for her elderly mother, Lopez began volunteering extensively, ultimately stepping into leadership roles that left a lasting mark on the city.
Her service was recognized through numerous honors, including being named a Santa Fe College Woman of Distinction, receiving the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the Alachua County Democratic Party and the City of Archer Recognition Award. She is also receiving an award from the Women’s League of Voters.
     Family members described Lopez as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend who showed love through action, welcoming people into her home with a meal and constantly asking how she could help.
     She is survived by her husband of more than six decades, Francisco “Frank” Lopez; her children, LTC Wendell F. Lopez (U.S. Army, Ret.) and Felicia Lopez-Walker; her son-in-law, Blair S. Walker; her grandchildren, Blair R. Walker and Bria Walker; and extended family members and community residents whose lives she touched.
     Lopez is remembered as a leader who believed in bringing people together to create lasting change, and her contributions to Archer’s civic life and community development will continue to shape the city she loved.   

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