Thyra Godfrey Thomson was born on July 30, 1916 in Florence, Colorado to John and Rosalie Altman Godfrey. Her father died when she was three years old and her mother later moved her family to Cheyenne. Thomson graduated from Cheyenne High School and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree from the University of Wyoming in 1939. She married Edwin Keith Thomson of Newcastle on August 6, 1939.

In 1954, Keith Thomson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the family moved to Washington. Keith Thomson was elected to the U.S. Senate in November of 1960 but died of a heart attack on December 9 at the age of 41. Thyra Thomson returned to Wyoming and was elected Secretary of State in 1962. She was re-elected five times.

When she chose to retire at the end of 1986 she had served 24 years as a state official—longer than anyone in the history of the state. During her term in office she served as acting governor in the absence of both Republican and Democrat chief executives—Governors Hansen, Hathaway and Herschler.

Thyra Thomson was a vocal proponent of citizen's needs and concerns and she led efforts for equal pay for women. She also worked to establish a system of quality daycare at affordable prices for working mothers. She was noted for regulating the sale of new securities so Wyoming investors had a fair balance between risk and reward. She served as the president of the North American Securities Administrators and as vice-president of the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors. Thomson was also active in promoting economic development in Wyoming.

Thyra and Keith Thomson were the parents of three sons (William John, Bruce Godfrey, Keith Coffey).

Additional Resources

• Thyra Thomson Papers, 1931-1986, Collection Number 09418, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
• "Former Wyoming Secretary of State Thomson Dies" Casper Star Tribune, June 12, 2013.
• Oral History and transcription, on file at the Wyoming State Archives