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Pinellas Commissioner Morroni Dies At 63

Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni
Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni

Longtime Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni died Sunday at the age of 63.

The Treasure Island Republican served on the commission since 2000. He also represented Pinellas County in the Florida House of Representatives for eight years, from 1992-2000.

“John Morroni was a dedicated public servant with a passion for our community. Our hearts are saddened by his passing, but we are eternally grateful for his leadership and vision for Pinellas,” Pinellas County Commission Chairman Ken Welch said in a statement. “He has run his race and is at peace with the Lord.”

Morronirepresented Pinellas County’s District 6, which included the central county beaches, the cities of Seminole and Pinellas Park and northern St. Petersburg. He also served as the Pinellas Commission Chairman in 2005, 2012 and 2015.

Tampa Bay Times Political Editor Adam Smith said Morroni was liked by everyone - regardless of political party. And Smith, who was a reporter covering Morroni during his time in the Florida House, said his constituents in Central Pinellas were his first priority.

“He was always far more enthusiastic about greeting the high school students in his office than getting involved in the partisan debates taking place on the floor,” Smith said.

The county said in a statement that Morroni recently had been seeking treatment for a blood disorder called Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  And this was not Morroni’s first cancer diagnosis. He had been treated and survived cancer previously, in 2008. 

Morroni, who is survived by his wife Eileen and his son, Michael, announced earlier this year that he would not be running for re-election.

Tuesday's scheduled meeting of the Pinellas County Commission has been canceled in his honor.

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Mary Shedden
Mary Shedden is news director at WUSF Public Media, where she oversees a team of reporters covering 13 counties on Florida’s west coast.