MARANA, Ariz. — Marana Mayor Ed Honea died on Friday after serving nearly two decades in office. He was 77.
The town announced Vice Mayor Jon Post will be assuming the mayoral duties on an interim basis following Honea's death.
"A pillar of our community, Mayor Honea dedicated his life to serving Marana with unwavering commitment, vision, and a genuine passion for making it a better place for all," town officials wrote in a statement.
Honea had served as Marana's mayor since 2005. He was a graduate of Marana High School, served as a member of the U.S. Navy Seabees and worked for several years as a contractor for the U.S. Postal Service in Marana.
Honea is survived by his two children and three grandchildren.
“Mayor Honea was not only a champion for Marana, but also a friend and mentor to many of us," Town Manager Terry Rozema said in a statement. "His love for our community ran so very deep and his contributions to making Marana what it is today cannot be overstated. He will be deeply missed.”
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
