Nannie Potts, the first female mayor of Cornelius and only African-American to hold the position, has died. She was in her early 80s, according to Cornelius Today.
Potts, who was a teacher before being elected to the town board in the 1980s, became Mayor Pro Tem when then-Mayor Wesley Rood suddenly resigned.
Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam told the newspaper that Potts, a caring leader with a big heart, was a "go-to person" in the community.