Former Ala. secretary of state, Democratic leader Nancy Worley dies

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Nancy Worley, a prominent figure in Alabama politics and the former secretary of state, has died at age 70.

Her death was confirmed by the Alabama Democratic Party, of which she served as chairwoman from 2013-2019. Alabama Democratic Conference leader Joe Reed said she died Wednesday morning at Baptist South in Montgomery following an undisclosed illness.

After Worley was admitted to the hospital, Reed had described her as “gravely ill.”

Worley served as Alabama’s secretary of state from 2003-2007.

A former educator, she also served two terms as president of the Alabama Education Association from 1983-1984 and again from 1995-1997.

“All of us who knew her and worked with her in and out of the Democratic Party and Alabama Education Association have lost a true friend, and a public servant extraordinaire. We all must thank God for sending her to us at such an important time in our history. She will be missed,” Reed said in a statement.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill reacted to the news with a tweet saying, “It was recently reported that former Sec. of State Nancy Worley was in poor health & I found out this afternoon that she has passed away. Even though we often disagreed on political issues I never doubted where her heart was or about her desire to serve the people of our state.”

Funeral arrangements are not set.

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