Orange County loses ‘tireless advocate’ with death of Commissioner Bedford 

Orange County residents are mourning the death of longtime county Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, who died unexpectedly Sunday. Bedford was 67.

According to multiple media reports, Bedford died from complications following hernia surgery at UNC Hospital. She is survived by her husband Ed Bedford and three adult children — a daughter and two sons.

Bedford was first elected to the board of commissioners in 2018, and served as chairwoman from 2022-24. 

“Commissioner Bedford was a tireless advocate for our community and a trusted colleague whose impact will be felt for generations,” Orange County Commissioners Chair Jean Hamilton said in a statement. “From her years of service on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education to her leadership on the Board of County Commissioners, she never lost sight of the people she represented.” 

Before being elected to the board of commissioners, Bedford spent 12 years on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, where she was an unwavering advocate for children, especially those with disabilities. She and husband Ed Bedford have a daughter with autism. 

“What I’ll remember most about Jamezetta Bedford is that she always showed up for us,” said Superintendent Rodney Trice. “Not in a superficial or ceremonial way, but in a way that let you know she was truly with you. She was a steady presence during some of our hardest moments as a district, when the decisions were complex and the path forward wasn’t easy.”

According to Bedford’s bio on the Orange County website, she and her husband moved to Chapel Hill in 1992 to seek better services for their autistic daughter. She also served on the board of directors and as president of the local chapter of the Autism Society of North Carolina.

Commissioner Earl McKee said he and Bedford didn’t always align on issues, but recalled that she was always “collegial” and “accommodating” while trying to understand various perspectives.

“Regardless of where we ended up on those issues, I always respected Jamezetta greatly,” McKee said.

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Jamezetta Bedford was an accountant and brought a unique combination of “paying attention to details” and “caring for the citizens of Orange County” to the board that will be difficult to replace, McKee said.

“She was able to process issues that came before us quite quickly, and worked toward suggesting solutions to those situations that we were facing,” McKee said. “Over the years, we faced some very difficult decisions.”

Bedford was just reelected to the board of commissioners in March. McKee said the board is currently on summer break and will likely begin the process to find a replacement to fill Bedford’s seat in August or early September.

In her bio, Bedford described herself as an “Army brat” who lived in Germany, Virginia, California, Hawaii and Utah before graduating from McLean High School in Northern Virginia.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Virginia, and a master’s degree in accounting from UNC Chapel Hill.