Former Austin Mayor Roy Butler has passed away.

	Former Austin Mayor Roy Butler

Butler served as mayor from 1971 to 1976.

He was the first mayor elected directly by the people instead of by the city council.

Butler is credited with recruiting Lady Bird Johnson to help him establish the Town Lake Beautification Committee. He helped transform the area into what it is today.

Butler died after suffering from complications from a fall.

Austin's current mayor, Lee Leffingwell, released a statement regarding Butler’s passing.

“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Austin’s first publicly-elected Mayor, Roy Butler. Roy was a good friend to me and my Dad and a good friend to Austin. As a young man I met Roy Butler when my dad served as a Travis County Deputy Sheriff. Roy was a champion for philanthropy and a hero for public safety. Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mayor Roy Butler. Austin will cherish his memory,” Leffingwell said.

“It was such an honor to call Roy my friend," Congressman Michael McCaul (R) said in a statesman. "He, Ann, Linda and I have spent many wonderful moments together. He will always be remembered as 'Mayor Wonderful.' He was the best public servant the City of Austin has ever had."

"I always told him that he was like a father to me, to which he would always reply, 'I'm too young to be your father.' Indeed, he was the youngest 83-year-old I've ever seen. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ann and the family,” the statement continued.

Services will be held in the auditorium of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library on Nov.19 at 2 p.m.