HOUSTON – Congressman Sylvester Turner’s cause of death has yet to be released, but it is known that he publicly shared his battle with bone cancer in 2022. Now, his loved ones, colleagues, and constituents are reflecting on the impact he made throughout his long career as a public servant.
Sylvester Turner dedicated his life to public service, spending nearly three decades in the Texas House of Representatives, serving two terms as Houston’s mayor, and more recently, taking over Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In the coming days, Turner’s legacy will be honored through a series of public ceremonies. A public viewing will be held at Houston City Hall on Tuesday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Another viewing will take place at the Texas State Capitol in Austin from March 13 through March 14. His funeral service is set for Saturday, March 15, at The Church Without Walls, officiated by Dr. Ralph West, with a reception to follow.
In honor of Turner’s life and service, attendees are asked to wear blue. His former security detail will serve as pallbearers, and the family has requested a private burial. Instead of flowers, donations can be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center or a charity of choice in his name.
Turner’s impact on Houston and beyond is evident.
One colleague shared, “I’m heartbroken. He loved what he did, and he loved who he did it for. Many of us sat at this and Mayor Turner would go to chemo, and then he would come here, and he would govern this city. And we would all ask him, why don’t you go home? Why don’t you get some rest? And he would say, I’m okay.”
For those wishing to pay their respects, a full list of memorial events and funeral details is available here.
