![Katherine is mourning the loss of former Mayor Jimmy Forscutt - here pictured with Katherine Town Council Aldermen in 1996. Photo via Toni Tapp Coutts. Katherine is mourning the loss of former Mayor Jimmy Forscutt - here pictured with Katherine Town Council Aldermen in 1996. Photo via Toni Tapp Coutts.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181547318/ddd64d23-9a42-41c1-812d-9cfc42b3b769.jpg/r0_0_860_541_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Katherine community is morning the loss of former Mayor Jimmy Forscutt, who passed away on June 9, after battling an illness.
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"Our community was sad to hear about the passing of Jim Forscutt," Katherine Mayor Lis Clark said.
"A very passionate man about Katherine and loved to keep up with all the politics that affected our town.
"On behalf of Katherine Town Council, we give our condolences to his wife Jan and the family."
Friends, family and community members shared their heartbreak over the longest-serving former Mayor of Katherine.
Territory politician Kezia Purick said she was "so sorry to hear of Jim's passing".
"Jim was a terrific man, lovely and lively and gave his time to everyone," she said.
Dale Campbell shared condolences to family and friends via social media.
"A true force of nature. Add charisma, influence, smarts and decency. (A) massive influence on our town and the NT. A great man."
Dennis Wakefield shared the sentiment.
"What a great bloke and passionate about Katherine. We have all benefitted from improvements he made. He will be sorely missed."
Known as the 'People's Mayor' of Katherine and called Uncle Jimmy by many locals, Mr Forscutt served his community with 16 years as Mayor and 23 years as Alderman of Katherine Town Council.
Among his achievements were standing alongside then Prime Minister Bob Hawke for first the operational launch (1988) and then the official opening (1989) of the Tindal RAAF Base.
When his beloved town was devastated by the record flood in 1998, and locals were still in shock, trying to figure out whether to leave or stay, Mr Forscutt accompanied NT Government leaders on a mission to Canberra to give the first hand account of the town's virtual destruction.
Then-Prime Minister John Howard ordered the immediate payment of money to get people back on their feet and back into their homes.
He soon followed Mr Forscutt back to Katherine to assure citizens the town would be rebuilt.
"I wanted to look after my community, something to help the town," Mr Forscutt said.
For the humble and much-loved long-term local, Katherine was always home - a home with a bright future "because of tourism, Tindal and the people here".
"The town has a wonderful future I believe," the past president and vice president of the Northern Territory Local Government Association said.
"It is just home to me. It's the people of Katherine who hold you here."