COLORADO SPRINGS – The mayor of Woodland Park, a city northwest of Colorado Springs, has died weeks after being diagnosed with COVID-19, officials said.
Woodland Park Mayor Pro Tem Hilary LaBarre said on Tuesday that Val Carr, who was less than a year into his mayoral term, had been battling the virus for about two months, The Gazette reported. He was 71.
LaBarre said he had been hospitalized in Colorado Springs.
Carr, who was a fixture in the Woodland Park community for more than 20 years, was elected mayor in April. He served on the city council for four years before winning the election.
“He also served as a volunteer on many boards,” LaBarre said. “He loved Woodland Park.”
Residents and acquaintances left messages of sorrow and condolence on social media after the announcement. LaBarre said Woodland Park will remember his dedication to public service.
“And he had a great sense of humor,” she said.
Carr is survived by his wife, Sherry.
