HOUSTON – Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner died at age 70, Mayor John Whitmire confirmed Wednesday.
Turner’s body is currently being held in Washington D.C. as is standard protocol when a member of the United States Congress dies.
Turner, born Sept. 27, 1954, currently holds the position of United States Representative for Texas’s 18th congressional district, taking the beloved Sheila Jackson Lee’s position after she passed away in July 2024.
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He was born and raised in Houston’s Acres Homes neighborhood, Turner earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Houston and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. He began his legal career as a trial lawyer at Fulbright & Jaworski, where he then co-founded Barnes & Turner, a prominent law firm specializing in commercial law and personal injury litigation.
Turner served 27 years in the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 139. As a respected bipartisan leader, he served 21 years on the House Appropriations Committee and six years as Speaker Pro Tem, helping shape state fiscal policy and balancing multiple budgets.
Turner was elected Houston’s 62nd mayor in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. During his eight years as mayor, the fourth-largest city experienced seven declared natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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He also launched Houston’s first Climate Action Plan, reinforcing the city’s status as the energy capital of the world and committing to carbon neutrality by 2050. He chaired the Global Resilient Cities Network, was a leader in the C40 Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and served as Chair of U.S. Climate Mayors, enhancing Houston’s leadership in sustainability, climate adaptation, and energy transition.
He also tackled illegal dumping through the One Clean Houston campaign, resulting in cleaner and safer neighborhoods. Turner’s Complete Communities initiative focused on revitalizing underserved areas by leveraging public and private partnerships to create equitable growth and opportunity. His Hire Houston Youth program provided over 20,000 jobs to young adults, improving economic mobility for the next generation.
Related: Sylvester Turner, former Houston mayor and congressman, remembered for political legacy
In 2022, the city of Houston learned Turner had been diagnosed with bone cancer when he revealed his diagnosis during his annual State of the City address.
Turner revealed he was battling osteosarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer that forms when something goes wrong in one of the cells responsible for making new bones, according to the Mayo Clinic.
When revealing his diagnosis, he did say he was cancer-free. His cause of death has not been confirmed.
Turner is a proud father of one daughter and grandfather of one grandson. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, The Church Without Walls, and resides in his home community of Acres Homes in Houston, Texas.
The Turner family released the following statement:
It is with inexpressible sadness that we the family of Congressman Sylvester Turner, Representative for the 18th Congressional District of Texas, acknowledge his unexpected passing.
After attending the State of The Union Address in Washington, D.C. last evening, Congressman Turner was taken to the hospital and he was later released.
On Wednesday, March 5 at approximately 5:45am he died at his home from enduring health complications. The Turner family is requesting fervent prayers from all who knew and loved him. We also request the public’s respect for our family’s privacy as we process this difficult reality.
Official communication will come from his staff at the appropriate time. Congressman Turner was the consummate public servant. But to us, he was our beloved father, grandfather, sibling, and relative. Thank you for your prayers.
More information regarding services will be forthcoming.
Related: Tributes pour in after Congressman Sylvester Turner passes away