Patricia Young, Part of Broward’s Political Past, Dies

 

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

Another piece of Broward’s political past is gone. 

Patricia  “Patti” Young, who helped manage State Attorney Mike Satz’s first campaign in 1976, died July 27. 

Patti Young

 

Her obituary was released today without any mention of her involvement in politics or a cause of death. 

Young was part of Broward politics for decades, especially courthouse politics. She was active from roughly the 1970s through the 1990s.

“She was truly a wonderful lady, revered by everyone who cared about justice in our community.  She deeply cared about the people of South Florida and was passionate about her work,” Satz told Browardbeat.com. 

Turning Satz into a winner in 1976 wasn’t easy. He had worked at the State Attorney’s Office since his law school graduation in 1967 and was described by one newspaper as having “all the sizzle of a legal brief.” 

It was Young who fashioned a winning image for the young prosecutor.

Print ads featured a headshot of the tough-looking balding Satz dominating the page. Since the looming figure of Satz looked a little like a bulldog, the ad described him a “Bulldog” on crime.

Young also sent him into the newly-sprouting West Broward condominiums that were filled with many Jewish retirees from New York City and its suburbs. It helped that Satz was Jewish. 

His opponent in the Democratic primary J. David Bogenschultz later estimated for the Sun-Sentinel that Satz beat him 10-1 in the condominiums.  

Young had success in politics, but sometimes not in marriage. 

She was wed to James Holmes, a long-haired, motorcycle riding lawyer.  Called “the hippy judge” when he was on the Broward County Court from 1973-76, Holmes helped manage campaigns after leaving the bench. He died of alcohol abuse at 56 in 2000, long after they divorced. 

Young was also wed and divorced from former South Broward High teacher, Broward School Board member (1974-76) and lawyer Andrew Mavrides. The founder of Broward’s ACLU chapter, Mavrides’ law career collapsed a sea of debt and personal problems. He disappeared for a time to avoid lawyers and bill collectors. Later disbarred, Mavrides died of cancer in 1987 at 56.

Young was also well-known in legal circles as the former owner of County Reporters Inc., a former Chief Deputy Clerk for Broward, and a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission in the mid 1990s. 

She was a resident of Fort Lauderdale for 50 years. 



2 Responses to “Patricia Young, Part of Broward’s Political Past, Dies”

  1. Every Votes Counts Twice says:

    Just make sure her Absentee Ballot is removed from the SOE electoral register.

  2. Just One Vote says:

    Any relation to FLL mayor Virginia Young?

    FROM BUDDY:

    No.