'Tough, determined, unrelenting': Donna Aaron, first woman to serve as Northport mayor, dies

Donna Aaron, the first woman to be elected Northport's mayor, died Sunday at the age of 79.

Aaron, a native of Wetumpka, served two terms on the Northport City Council and was council president for five years before being elected Northport's mayor in October 2016. She served one term but chose not to seek re-election.

Before her career in Northport politics, Aaron was a school teacher for three decades, most of which was spent at Tuscaloosa County High School.

Aaron graduated from Wetumpka High School and continued her education at the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics.

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Tuscaloosa and Northport leaders said Monday that Aaron leaves behind a legacy of service to the community through politics and education.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said Aaron was Northport's "Iron Lady" and praised her strength.

"She was tough, determined and unrelenting in what she believed was best for her beloved city.  Matching Mayor Aaron’s intensity was her compassion for all, especially for those who were vulnerable.  It was an honor to work with her and she will be missed," Maddox said.

Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge Rob Robertson said Aaron's legacy extends beyond the city of Northport since she affected many lives through her years of leadership and teaching.

"She has impacted so many lives in this community. She's gonna be dearly missed. But she left behind a very admirable legacy. We lost a great asset in the community,"  Robertson said.

Christy Bobo, who represents District 1 on the Northport City Council,  credited Aaron with paving the way for her political career.

Bobo became the first woman appointed to elective office in Northport in September 2020.

"It meant a lot to me to be in this group of first women to do things in Northport ... and being in that group with Mayor Aaron, it just meant an incredible deal to me to be able to have her there as a mentor. She was such a great teacher," Bobo said.

Bobo said she and Aaron formed a close relationship after Bobo was appointed to the council.

"Her encouragement pushed me to put more into my civic duty. She would pat me on the back and talk to me about issues that we were having and different ways to resolve them. She was always very honorable and I just appreciate her integrity and encouragement," she said.

Bobo said Aaron's achievements greatly contributed to the success of the Northport City Council.

"The fact that she was able to talk Judge Hardy McCollum into coming out of retirement to lead the city of Northport when we were lacking a city administrator is incredible. I feel like together that council, mayor and city administrator turned a ship around to re-navigate it and gave us the opportunities to be set up for the success that we are currently seeking," Bobo said.

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"I feel that everything that we do on council right now is a directive that was started by a catalyst that Mayor Aaron created," Bobo said.

In a June 2020 interview with The Tuscaloosa News after she announced she wouldn't run for a second term as mayor, Aaron said she was pleased with the level of progress she’s helped facilitate while serving on the City Council and as mayor.

“In the precious 20-plus years, especially these past four years, Northport has grown by leaps and bounds,” she said. “We’ve got new businesses, subdivisions, developments coming in. I feel like we’re growing and growing and growing.

“We’ve accomplished so much of what we went in to accomplish or we’re currently in the process of doing it,” she said. “We’re expanding the riverfront. We have some wonderful developments there. We have a lot of growth out west, up north ... We just have so much.”

A graveside service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park, 5434 Old Birmingham Highway, according to Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home North in Northport.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Donna Aaron, first woman to serve as Northport mayor, dies at 79