Former Sarasota mayor, county commissioner dies at 79

Former Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson, a longtime public servant in the region, died Thursday, Feb. 8. She was 79. 

Patterson had spent more than 20 years serving the public, according to a statement put out by Sarasota County government.

Patterson was first elected as Sarasota County commissioner in 1998 and served until November 2014, serving three terms as chair. Before her tenure with Sarasota County government, Patterson served eight years on the Sarasota City Commission, including a term as mayor.