ST. GEORGE, Utah, May 9, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Nancy Workman, former Salt Lake County Mayor, has died.
Workman, 79, died peacefully on Sunday, May 3, at her home in St. George, her obituary says.
The cause of death was not released.
Workman was elected the first Salt Lake County mayor, and served from 2000 to 2004.
She was known for making bold moves in the early days of her administration, including the relocation of the county-owned Hansen planetarium from State Street to the Gateway shopping mall.
In 2004, Workman was accused of misusing funds to pay for an employee at a local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of America. She was ultimately found not guilty, but the case cost her the support of the Republican Party in the 2004 county mayoral election. She lost the seat to Democratic candidate Peter Corroon.
Prior to serving as mayor, Workman served a six-year term as Salt Lake County recorder, beginning in 1994.
Workman’s obituary shares more of her legacy:
Nancy’s achievements in life went far beyond her life in politics. She received a bachelor’s degree in Art from the University of Utah and went on to form her own school of interior design that was accredited by the University.
She was a skilled breeder of Arabian horses and was one of the first women in the country to compete in Arabian horse shows. As President of the Utah Arabian Horse Association, Nancy organized the Region 7 Arabian Horse Show that brought the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds out of obscurity.
Nancy and her husband, Reed Workman (1936-2010), built a multi-million dollar construction company after Nancy became the first female general contractor in the State of Utah. She and Reed were also founding members of the Sage Riders Motorcycle Club and she was one of the first women to ever desert race.
As Salt Lake County Recorder, Nancy implemented online software for real property document recording. It was the first recorder’s office in the country to do so. She left that position to become the first Mayor of Salt Lake County.
After she left the Mayor’s office she took over the near-bankrupt Sandy Chamber of Commerce and worked tirelessly to turn it into one of the most influential organizations in Utah.
Family and friends may gather to scatter her ashes by Reed’s at Cherry Creek on Sage Rider Pit Row on May 16, 2020 at 11 am.
In lieu of flowers, please share your favorite memory of, or misadventure with Nancy at broomheadfuneralhome.com.
