A devotion to the region's cherry growers and a sense of humor he felt was necessary in the topsy-turvy world of agriculture were among the attributes people remembered about B.J. Thurlby.
The longtime president of the Washington State Fruit Commission died Jan. 10 in Seattle following surgery for cancer. He was 60.
A celebration of life service is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Yakima Convention and Event Center.
鈥淏.J. was a great ambassador for our industry,鈥 said Doug Field, chairman of the commission's board of directors. 鈥淭he positive impacts of his passionate efforts to promote our cherries and soft fruits in the USA and around the world will be felt long into the future."
In a news release issued by the fruit commission, Field noted that Thurlby鈥檚 professional passion was serving growers.
He did so with humor, patience and grace for 30 years, lending an ear and support to the 2,200 growers the commission has represented until his retirement Dec. 31, Field noted in the news release. He called Thurlby a steadying presence in an industry of continual change.
Field stepped in to work with the commission鈥檚 staff following Thurlby鈥檚 diagnosis last summer and will continue to do so until a successor is named.
B.J. Thurlby, president of the Northwest Cherry Growers and Washington State Fruit Commission, gives a marketing talk at the Northwest Cherry Institute on Jan. 10, 2002, at the Yakima Convention Center. Thurlby discussed successful marketing in tough economic times to the several hundred gathered for the convention.
As the master of ceremonies at recent Cherry Institute meetings, Thurlby balanced his often-sobering assessments of weather and market conditions for cherry growers with humorous anecdotes and reasons for optimism in the upcoming growing season.
This continued through the final meeting he was involved with, the Cherry Institute on Jan. 7. Although Thurlby was unable to attend, he was honored with the industry's annual Cherry King award and received a standing ovation from attendees.
A recorded from Thurlby was played, shared on YouTube by Good Fruit Grower magazine, where he thanked his coworkers, previous Cherry King award winners and the growers he served.
"As far as I'm concerned, the work that we do and the stories that we tell around Northwest cherries and stone fruit and pears, all start with the grower," Thurlby said in the video.
He then shared one more story about the popularity and quality of Northwest cherries. As Thurlby was being treated at the University of Washington medical center in July, a supply of freshly picked cherries was brought in for nurses and staff to enjoy.
"They would come in and go, 'Oh, I took two bags home this weekend.' Maybe 20 or 30 different nurses who worked on the cancer floor there said they were amazed, that they were the best cherries they've ever had," he said.
"Just to let you know the magic of cherries. It's there, it's real," Thurlby concluded. "And I want you to stay positive and stay in this game, because you've got a great product, and that's what really matters. I think the world looks forward to the Northwest cherry season every year."
Three decades at fruit commission
Thurlby served as the commission鈥檚 domestic marketing manager for five years before being promoted to president. As president, he oversaw domestic and international marketing for Northwest Cherries, the organization that markets sweet cherries for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah. The commission also markets Washington stone fruit and processed pears.
In his 25 years as WSFC president, Thurlby helped to grow international markets for sweet cherries by more than 300% with exports going to 29 countries, the commission noted in its news release. He was a staunch advocate of research for the health benefits of cherries and led efforts to highlight those benefits in cherry promotions industrywide.
Thurlby also was a proponent of industry education, hosting the annual Cherry Institute event to provide the latest horticultural research and market insights to growers, as well as the publication of Good Fruit Grower magazine and, in the past 10 years, its online Spanish-language efforts, Good Fruit Grower en espa帽ol.
Born Oct. 5, 1965, in Seattle, Thurlby was an all-state basketball player for Auburn High School and went on to play at Central Washington University, where he met his wife, Maggie, his . During college, he traveled to Southeast Asia to play basketball with and against Olympic athletes. His love of the game stayed with him throughout his life, the obituary noted, and he later proudly coached all three of his children, Griffin, Kenzie and Greyson.
After earning a degree in public relations, Thurlby began his career as a sales representative for Gallo Winery in Seattle before he and his wife moved to her hometown of Yakima, where he began his career with the聽Washington State Fruit Commission.聽
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