Tom Thurber

Thomas George Thurber (born 1934-2000) was a Canadian provincial politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (MLA) from 1989 to 2000.^[1] He served as Alberta's Minister of Public Affairs, Supply and Services from 1993 to 1994 and as Minister of Municipal Affairs from 1994-1997.^[1]

Tom Thurber
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office 1989–2001
Preceded by	Shirley Cripps (Drayton Valley)
Succeeded by	Tony Abbott (Drayton Valley-Calmar)
Constituency	Drayton Valley (1989–1993) Drayton Valley-Calmar (1993–2001)
Personal details
Born	(1934-10-26)October 26, 1934 Herronton, Alberta
Died	March 7, 2010(2010-03-07) (aged 75) Rimbey, Alberta
Political party	Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
Occupation	farmer

Early life and career

Thurber was born in Herronton, Alberta^[2] on 26 October 1934.^[3] He served in the Korean War^[3] and later became a rancher in Winfield, Alberta, near Edmonton.^[4][5]

He served as reeve for Wetaskiwin County,^[6] member of a school board,^[6] member of a hospital board,^[6] and chair of the Alberta Cattle Commission^[7][5][8] before he ran for election to the Alberta Legislative Assembly in 1989.^[6]

Political career

Thurber was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1989 Alberta general election.^[6] He won the electoral district of Drayton Valley holding it for the Progressive Conservative Party by a wide margin.^[9]

The electorate of Drayton Valley was abolished in 1993 and reconstituted into Drayton Valley-Calmar. Thurber ran for re-election in the 1993 Alberta general election and won the new riding with an increased plurality. He ran for a third term in office in the 1997 Alberta general election winning the biggest margin of his career defeating three other candidates.^[10]

Thurber served as Alberta's Minister of Public Affairs, Supply and Services from 1993 to 1994 and as Minister of Municipal Affairs from 1994-1997.^[1] In July 1999, he was one of three Alberta MLAs to participate in the Partnership of Parliaments parliamentarian exchange program with Germany.^[11]

Thurber retired from public politics at dissolution of the legislature in 2001, saying "I did not want to make this a full-life career".^[1]

Death

Thurber died on 7 March 2010 at Rimbey Hospital in Rimbey, Alberta; he was 75.^[3]