SALISBURY, N.C. — The city of Salisbury is holding a memorial service to honor Mayor Karen Alexander on Monday.
Alexander, who was laid to rest over the weekend, passed away at the end of last year. She was 73.
First elected to the city council in 2013, Alexander served two separate terms.
The Salisbury Post reports that last October, Alexander scaled back her duties as mayor after being diagnosed with cancer.
People in the community said they remember her for her focus on the economy, opportunities for residents, and investing in the city’s Historically Black College – Livingstone College.
“What we always remember most about Mayor Karen Alexander will not be limited to bricks, mortar, and designs. What I will remember most of all, was her willingness to show up and man did she show up,” Anthony Davis, President, Livingstone College, said.
Monday’s service for Mayor Alexander will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Bell Tower Green. It’ll conclude with a candlelight vigil in remembrance of her service and dedication to the city of Salisbury.
Assistant City Manager Kelly Baker told The Salisbury Post that Alexander was a “legitimately warm individual who cared greatly about the city, its people and everyone who worked for it.”
Mayor Pro Tem Tamara Sheffield said Alexander was “not only a visionary leader, she was a mentor and a friend whose passion for this city knew no bounds.”
Sheffield added, “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.”
City Manager Jim Greene said Alexander “consistently put the needs of Salisbury’s residents first.”
“We are grateful for her enduring contributions and will honor her memory by continuing her work of creating a Salisbury for all,” Greene said.
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