‘Remarkable public servant’: NC leaders mourn Salisbury Mayor Karen Alexander
Salisbury Mayor Karen Alexander died Sunday after a short battle with cancer at the age of 73, the city announced Monday.
Alexander had announced in October she was “limiting public engagements” in the wake of a cancer diagnosis. She was first elected mayor in 2015 in a nonpartisan election in the Rowan County city, and elected again in 2020 with a platform focused on business development, public safety and infrastructure improvement, the city’s statement said.
Multiple state and local leaders shared condolences on social media Monday, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles.
“Her dedication to the City of Salisbury and her unwavering commitment to public service touched the lives of many. We will honor her legacy by continuing to support one another, just as she encouraged us to do,” Lyles said.
U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., called Alexander “a remarkable public servant and tireless advocate for the people of Salisbury.”
Salisbury Mayor Pro Tem Tamara Sheffield praised Alexander as a “visionary leader” who helped revitalize the city’s downtown.
“We will carry her spirit forward in our continued work and strive every day to live up to the standard she set,” she said in a statement. “Karen was not just a colleague but a dear friend, and she will be profoundly missed. She was truly a Mayor for all and I want to personally thank her family for sharing her with us.”
In a letter posted to her Facebook page Dec. 20, Alexander thanked the Salisbury community and fellow city leaders for their support during her illness.
An architect by trade, she was first elected to the Salisbury City Council in 2013. Alexander was also a past president of the North Carolina League of Municipalities.
Service information will be announced at a later time, according to the city’s statement. Salisbury is home to just over 36,300 people.
