Don Horsely, the former longtime San Mateo County sheriff and supervisor who spent more than 25 years in elected office across the Peninsula, died on Friday.
Horsley’s death was announced Friday evening by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, where Horsley worked his way up from a low-level patrol deputy to the county’s top lawman in a career that spanned more than three decades. His age was not disclosed.
“Sheriff Horsley loved and believed in helping children in our underserved communities,” the announcement read. It added that “his legacy of service and dedication to our community will forever be remembered and cherished.”
Horsley began working for the sheriff’s office in 1972 as a patrol deputy in East Palo Alto. He was elected as sheriff more than two decades later, in 1993, and held the office for 14 years until retiring in 2007.
After a few years as board president of the Sequoia Healthcare District, he won election to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 2010. He remained on the board as its District 3 representative until 2022, when he termed out.