City of Bowling Green issues statement after death of Patsy Sloan

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Former Bowling Green mayor Patsy T. Sloan died Tuesday at Colonial Center. She was 85.

The City of Bowling Green has shared the following statement regarding Sloan’s death:

“Mrs. Sloan was a trailblazer for women in local politics in Bowling Green. She served on the City Commission from January 1978 through December 1987 and was elected as Bowling Green’s first female mayor, serving in that capacity from 1988 to 1991.”

“Mayor Sloan was well-respected and remained dedicated to public service well beyond the time she served as an elected official for the City of Bowling Green,” current Bowling Green mayor Todd Alcott said. “She touched many, many lives as a school teacher, as a leader, and as a compassionate, leading citizen within our community.”

In addition to her work in city government, officials say Sloan taught in the social studies department at Bowling Green High School from 1971 to 2002.

The city says Sloan remained friends with multiple people involved in local government and leadership positions within the community. She served on numerous local boards, including the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport Board, the Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority (TIF) and the Bowling Green Municipal Utilities Board.

“‘Patsy loved Bowling Green,” former mayor Johnny Webb said. Webb was Sloan’s immediate successor.

“’Patsy and I were friends. Our political views were not perfectly aligned. What was perfectly aligned was our love for Bowling Green,” he said. “We both always had the best interest in moving Bowling Green forward. She was someone who was easy to work with.'”

“’She was instrumental in getting the convention center off the ground. That was huge,’” he said.

Source: Debbie West, Executive Assistant/Public Information Officer for the City of Bowling Green. Taken on Nov. 21, 2023 during the proclamation for General Chance Saltzman, who was a former student of Sloan.

The Sloan Convention Center opened in mid-1995 as the Bowling Green-Warren County Convention Center. The center was renamed in honor of Sloan in January 2002, the city says.

City manager Jeff Meisel knew Sloan for decades and is a former student.

“I’ve known Patsy since I was about nine years old. My grandparents lived next door to her,” Meisel said. “She let me play in her backyard. Then I had her in class when I was a junior. That was one of the most interesting classes I had in high school.”

“She’s always been a long-time personal friend. We served on several boards together since she’s been in retirement. She’s always been a really engaged former mayor,” Meisel said.

Sloan served as a role model to many people.

“She has been a great mentor to me over the years, and I appreciated her so much,” said retired Lost River Cave director Rho Lansden.

Arrangements are under the direction of J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Chapels.

By order of Alcott, all city flags will remain lowered to half-staff until after Sloan’s funeral. The flags were already lowered in honor of President Carter.