Thyra Thomson
| Thyra Thomson | |
|---|---|
| 16th Wyoming Secretary of State | |
|
In office January 7, 1963 – January 5, 1987 |
|
| Governor |
Clifford P. Hansen Stanley K. Hathaway Edgar J. Herschler |
| Preceded by | Jack R. Gage |
| Succeeded by | Kathy Karpan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thyra Godfrey July 16, 1916 Florence, Fremont County Colorado, USA |
| Died | June 11, 2013 (aged 96) Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Edwin Keith Thomson |
| Residence | Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Alma mater | University of Wyoming |
| Occupation | Public official |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Thyra Godfrey Thomson (July 30, 1916 – June 11, 2013) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Wyoming, who served as a Republican as the Wyoming Secretary of State from 1963 to 1987.
Thyra Godfrey Thomson was born on July 30, 1916 to John and Rose Godfrey in Florence, Colorado, the only girl in a family of seven. Tragically, her father, who was mine superintendent for the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co., died in a mine explosion when she was three, When she was in her teens, her mother brought her and her youngest brother to Cheyenne, Wyoming where she graduated from high school. Thyra went on to earn a BA Degree cum laude at the University of Wyoming in 1939, with a major in psychology and minors in sociology and business administration. On August 6, 1939, Thyra married Edwin Keith Thomson from Newcastle who was working on his Juris Doctorate and managing the University of Wyoming Bookstore. Thyra received a President's citation for war work at home in Cheyenne while Keith became the youngest infantry battalion commander in the U.S. forces in WWII. Keith returned to Cheyenne in 1945, and he and Thyra became active in statewide politics. In 1954, Keith was elected to Congress and moved Thyra and their three sons—William John, Bruce Godfrey, and Keith Coffey—to the nation's capitol. After three terms in the U.S. house of Representatives, Keith was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 1960, and on December 9, died of a heart attack at the age of 41.
Thyra returned with her sons to Wyoming and in 1962, she was elected Wyoming Secretary of State beginning a long and distinguished political career. She was the first woman to be elected to that position in Wyoming.
Though her name was repeatedly suggested for higher office, Thyra chose to remain Secretary of State and ex-officio lieutenant governor, and she was elected six times by Wyoming voters. When she chose to retire at the end of 1986, she had served 24 years, longer than any state house official in Wyoming's history. Because Wyoming has no lieutenant governor Thomson as secretary of state was acting governor on numerous occasions in the absence of both Republican and Democrat Chief Executives Clifford P. Hansen, Stanley K. Hathaway, and Ed Herschler.
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