We all lost a lot when we lost Myron Thompson this past weekend.
Thompson passed away from cancer on Sunday. He was 82.
Thompson, famous for wearing his Stetson cowboy hats, was a dominant figure in Parliament and in Mountain View County — especially in Sundre, where he and his wife Dot lived for many decades.
He was born in Colorado but later immigrated to Canada, winding up in Sundre in 1968.
He became a teacher and later a well respected principal.
Thompson had a long career in politics.
He served as a member of Parliament, first for the Reform Party, starting in 1993, and later for the Conservatives, until he retired in 2008.
At the municipal level, he served on Sundre's town's council for 15 years, including two terms as mayor.
Thompson was not afraid to speak his mind, something that's sorely lacking among many politicians of all stripes these days.
He was a strong supporter of the war in Iraq in the early '90s, and opposed gun laws and same-sex marriage.
That was just one aspect of the man though.
He also called for stronger protection for animals and stricter child pornography laws.
In order to get things done, Thompson was also unafraid to work with others who didn't agree with him politically.
Many of those who locked horns with Thompson over various issues, including gun control, may not have agreed with him, but they came to admire him for his willingness to really listen to those with views opposite to his own.
In fact, he became a mentor for some, including Sundre councillor Cheri Funke and Sundre mayor Terry Leslie.
Myron Thompson worked hard all his life to improve his community. We need more people like him.
