HARRISBURG – In honor of former Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh, who passed away Thursday, Governor Tom Wolf has ordered the US and Commonwealth flags on all commonwealth facilities, public buildings, and grounds fly at half staff.
The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce also released a statement on Thornburgh’s passing. President and CEO Bob Garrett said, “During this year of day after day of lows, news of the passing of former Pennsylvania Governor and former U.S. Attorney General, Dick Thornburgh presented the lowest low for our Valley’s community leaders.”
Garrett added, “Known by most people for his command of the events surrounding our nation’s worst nuclear incident, Three Mile Island, Governor Thornburgh had deep roots here in the Greater Susquehanna Valley.”
“It might be interesting for local folks to know that on the day when Thornburgh announced his candidacy for the governor’s seat his second stop was at Thom Rippon’s One Barn Farm in White Springs (Union County). The friendship that he forged that day were renewed often on his many trips to visit his son, John, while a Bucknell University student. When the Governor’s School for the Arts was founded, it was also launched at Bucknell. In turn, this brought Dick and Ginny Thornburgh back to our valley each summer to check in on all the rising young artists,” Garrett said.
The opening of the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge was also a high point for valley residents and Governor Thornburgh. Garrett mentioned that, “The very first car to cross the newly-opened Veteran’s Memorial Bridge had a smiling Dick Thornburgh with Ginny alongside him. Right behind the governor were then-Sen. Ed Helfrick and then-Assemblyman Merle Phillips, with the Chamber leadership in tow. Thanks to Thornburgh, our modern transportation construction projects were underway and continue to this day,” Garrett said.
Thornburgh died Thursday morning at a retirement community facility outside Pittsburgh. The cause is not yet known. He suffered a mild stroke in June 2014. Thornburgh was 88 years old.
