The Payette Independent
Thursday, May 21, 1931
I. L. Thurston Called to Great Beyond Past Week - Was Pioneer
Payette and surrounding territory were grieved to learn of the death of Irwin L. Thurston, which occurred at his home in this city at 4:15 Saturday afternoon, May 16, after an illness of several weeks. Nephritis is given as the cause of his death.
Irwin L. Thurston was born in Argyle, Wis. April 8, 1880. He came to Payette with his parents 40 years ago at the age of 11. His life was closely merged with the growth and development of our community and he passed from its activities an outstanding figure. He was a member of the third class graduating from Payette High School, the class of 1897, receiving higher education at the University of Denver at Denver, Colo.
Member City Council
In his earlier manhood, Mr. Thurston, was assistant cashier of the First National Bank of this city. In his later life, he was extensively engaged in the fruit business in Payette and Council Valleys, both as a grower and a buyer, commanding to a rare degree the respect and affection of his associates. He was a member of the city council at the time of his death, having served for several years. Since young manhood, he had been prominent in Masonic circles. Becoming a member of Washoe Lodge No. 28 A.F. and A.M., he had been advanced to the various higher degrees of the order, having been elected a delegate to the National Shrine Convention, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, in July of this year.
In 1912, he was married to Miss Ethelyn Venable, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burt Venable, thus uniting two pioneer families of the Valley, who long had been close friends. Besides his wife, he leaves a son, Robert V. and a daughter, Jean. He is survived also in the immediate family by his father, J. S. Thurston, two brothers, Clyde W. and Ralph V. Thurston of Payette and by three sisters, Mrs. C. W. Buckley of Eugene, Oregon. Mrs. H. P. Filer of Santa Ana, Calif. and Mrs. P. P. Brainard of Ann Arbor, Mich. His mother died three years ago.
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 from the Episcopal church, the Rev. Ernest Taylor officiating. From 12 o'clock until 2, immediately preceding the church sermon, the body lay at the Masonic temple, where many friends called to pay final respects. Service at the grave were conducted by the Masonic fraternity.
Attending from a distance were Mrs. Huckley, sister of Mr. Thurston, his sister-in-law, Mrs. E. C. Pence of Los Angeles, Calif., and his brother-in-law, Earl Venable of Washington, D.C.
