GOODYEAR — The City of Goodyear announced Mayor Georgia Lord passed away Sunday at age 83.
The city, in an announcement on its website, said Lord’s health steadily declined after a recent fall at her home, in which she broke her hip.
“It is with a very heavy heart that the City of Goodyear announces the passing of Mayor Lord,” the city said. “She passed peacefully this afternoon in her home with her family at her side.”
The city said Lord had been a powerful advocate for Goodyear since she moved there in 1997 with her late husband, Col. Ronald Lord (USAF, retired) after living in many different locations around the world.
She began her career in local government when she was elected to the Goodyear City Council in 2005, becoming the city’s first woman mayor in 2011.
Lord was a collegiate cheerleader at Michigan State University, a devoted mother of four, a proud military wife and a successful realtor, the city said. She was also a fashion model, spoke fluent German and shared in the intrigue of life alongside her husband when he served as a military attaché in Europe during the Cold War.
Lord served on multiple committees and councils during her tenure, including the Arizona League of Cities and Towns Executive Committee, Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Council and Transportation Policy Committee, Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors, WESTMARC Board of Directors, Abrazo West Hospital Board of Directors, and Luke West Valley Partners.
One of her more recent achievement was being honored with the Inspiration in Leadership Award at WESTMARC’s 29th Annual Best of the West Awards gala in October of this year.
Lord is survived by four children, four grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Her husband of 57 years passed away in early 2020.
Vice Mayor Brannon Hampton is serving as acting mayor until the Goodyear City Council appoints a current city councilmember to complete the mayor’s term, which ends in December 2022.
The mayor and council would then accept applications from interested residents to appoint a new councilmember to fill the vacated council position.
An election will be held in the Fall of 2022 to select a new mayor, who will take office in January of 2023.
Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.
He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.
Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.
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