Sarasota County Commissioner Nancy Detert dies at 78

Sarasota County Commissioner Nancy Detert, who has been involved in Sarasota County politics for 30 years and served in both the Florida House and Senate, died April 5. She was 78. 

Sarasota County officials posted the news on Facebook just after 8 PM Wednesday, saying “it was the deepest regret and sadness that (we) must acknowledge the death of our dear friend and colleague, Sarasota County Commission Vice Chair Nancy C. Detert. Commissioner Detert passed away peacefully in her home April 5, and no foul play is suspected, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Our focus right now is on supporting Nancy’s family and ensuring the continuity of government.” 

A Republican, Detert, who was in the mortgage business before getting into politics, was elected to the Sarasota County Commission in 2016 and subsequently re-elected in 2020. She served as vice chair in 2017 and chair in 2018, in addition to being vice chair this year.