Koka Booth, mayor who oversaw Cary's booming growth, dies

The mayor who saw Cary boom from a sleepy suburb to one of North Carolina's most populous towns had died.

Current Mayor Harold Weinbrecht Jr. announced the passing Tuesday of Koka Booth, who served the town for decades, including for 12 years as mayor. Cary's signature Koka Booth Amphitheater is named after him.

"We all benefited from his enthusiastic efforts to help make Cary the wonderful place it is today," Weinbrecht said.

"We're very fortunate to have a leader like that," he said, noting that Booth cultivated support on the council and among Cary residents.

"He made sure that we cared about how Cary looked and how it was perceived," Weinbrecht said. "They loved him for what he did."

Booth was first appointed to the Cary Town Council while his friend, Fred Bond, was mayor. He served for 22 years, and he was first elected mayor in 1987.