GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County's trailblazing tax commissioner has passed away.
Tiffany P. Porter died peacefully Thursday surrounded by family, friends and loved ones, according to a release from the commissioner's office. The 43-year-old had been battling breast cancer and left behind four children; the youngest is 15 years old.
Porter's brief tenure as tax commissioner for the county lasted 16 months. She was the first African American to be elected to the role.
The office said she implemented changes of benefit to residents in the county, including the ability to set appointments at any office and created a better workplace environment for her 160-member staff.
“On behalf of all of us at Gwinnett County Government, I send sincere condolences to Tiffany’s family, friends and coworkers. We are all saddened by this loss," Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson said in a statement.
Porter was known for her resilience, a spokesperson with the office said, adding she leaves behind a powerful legacy. She was in remission twice for breast cancer before it returned this third time.
She was the first in her family to earn a college degree, go to law school and pass the bar. Porter is also celebrated as the first African American judge in the Duluth Municipal Court.
“Ms. Porter overcame many obstacles to achieve the ambitious goals she set for herself,” Chief Deputy Denise Mitchell said in a news release. “I will always remember her as a strong, resilient, brilliant spirit, and all the joy she brought to us. We will miss her.”
For more than 20 years, Porter lived in Gwinnett County, attended Life Church International in Duluth and was a dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Mitchell will step into her role in the interim before being sworn in for the remainder of Porter's term, which lasts through the end of 2024.
From 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, a public wake will be held at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home in Lawrenceville. At 6 p.m., the public is invited to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.’s “Ivy Beyond the Wall” ceremony at New Mercies Christian Church in Lilburn.
At 10 a.m. Thursday, a funeral procession will assemble at the Gwinnett Justice & Administration building’s Nash St. parking lot (southeast corner of Nash St. and Constitution Blvd.) and depart at 10:30 a.m. Attendees do not need to join the procession to attend the funeral.
A funeral service will be held at Noon Thursday at the St. Philip African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta.
Tax commissioner offices will be closed Thursday to pay respects.
