Public services planned to honor late Rep. Sylvester Turner
Public memorial services announced for late Rep. Sylvester Turner
The former Houston mayor's body will lie in state at City Hall and the Texas State Capitol before his funeral in Houston on Saturday, March 15.
HOUSTON - Public services have been announced in Houston and Austin for the late Congressman and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
Houston City Hall
What we know:
Rep. Turner's body will lie in state in the rotunda of Houston City Hall on Tuesday, March 11. Turner's family has invited the public to pay respects on Tuesday.
Anyone who wishes to attend can come to the first floor of the rotunda at 901 Bagby Street. The service will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Congressman and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has died at the age of 70. Rep. Turner was remembered on Wednesday by current Houston Mayor John Whitmire and city councilmembers.
Texas State Capitol
What's next:
In Austin, the Texas House passed a resolution to allow Rep. Turner to lie in honor in the Hall of the House of Representatives.
His body will lie in state at the State Capitol rotunda from noon on Thursday, March 13, to noon on Friday, March 14.
RELATED: Rep. Sylvester Turner, former Houston mayor, to lie in state in Hall of the Texas House
Funeral service
What you can do:
Rep. Turner's funeral service will be open to the public at the Church Without Walls in Houston.
The service will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Pastor Ralph West will be officiating the service, and a reception will begin immediately after.
Those who wish to attend the service in person are asked to fill out this form in advance.
If you'd like to watch the service online, you can do so on the Church Without Walls website.
RELATED: Sylvester Turner remembered for his legacy of justice and faith
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Sylvester Turner, known for his roles as a mayor and congressman, was deeply rooted in his faith community. Ralph Douglass West, the senior pastor at the Church Without Walls, described Turner as a man whose vision for justice encompassed not only Houston but the entire nation.
Sylvester Turner dies at 70
The backstory:
Congressman and longtime former Houston Mayor Turner has died at the age of 70.
U.S. Rep. Turner was elected to Texas' 18th Congressional District in November. He previously served as a Texas state representative for more than two decades and the mayor of Houston for eight years.
In a statement on Wednesday, Turner's family said he was taken to the hospital after attending President Donald Trump's speech to Congress. He was then released from the hospital.
Around 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, he died at home from "enduring health complications," his family said.
Sylvester Turner’s long legacy in Houston
Turner was born and raised in Houston’s Acres Homes. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science at the University of Houston before earning a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.
He worked as a trial lawyer and later co-founded his own firm specializing in commercial law and personal injury litigation.
Turner served 27 years in the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 139. His first term was in 1989.
He was elected as Houston’s mayor in 2015 and re-elected in 2019, reaching his term limit.
The Source: SylvesterTurner.com