The Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors has lost its longest tenured member.
Division 1 Director Phillip Short passed away at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto on Sunday at the age of 73.
A Hughson native, Short graduated from Hughson High before attending the University of California, Berkeley, where he played football and majored in engineering. He returned to Hughson after college, growing walnuts and almonds there for more than 50 years.
Short was politically active within his community starting in 1967, when he began a 10-year run on the Hughson Elementary School Board.
In August of 1977, Short was appointed to the TID Board of Directors where he served continuously for more than 32 years until his death. Short won eight elections as Division 1 Director, and was to complete his current term in November of 2011.
Short’s leadership in the field of water extended to the state level as well, as he served as president of the Association of California Water Agencies from 1993 to 1995.
Director Short was a member of the California Walnut Commission, the Federal Walnut Control Board, and also served as chairman of the export and research committees of the California Walnut Marketing Board.
Short was also a U.S. Marine Corps Reservist.
The Turlock Irrigation District will look to appoint a new director to serve the remainder of Short’s term, which runs to 2011. The Board will have three new faces by 2010, as Division 3 Director Michael Berryhill and Division 5 Director Randy Fiorini will not seek reelection in November.
A memorial service for Short will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at Centenary Methodist Church in Modesto.
To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.
Division 1 Director Phillip Short passed away at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto on Sunday at the age of 73.
A Hughson native, Short graduated from Hughson High before attending the University of California, Berkeley, where he played football and majored in engineering. He returned to Hughson after college, growing walnuts and almonds there for more than 50 years.
Short was politically active within his community starting in 1967, when he began a 10-year run on the Hughson Elementary School Board.
In August of 1977, Short was appointed to the TID Board of Directors where he served continuously for more than 32 years until his death. Short won eight elections as Division 1 Director, and was to complete his current term in November of 2011.
Short’s leadership in the field of water extended to the state level as well, as he served as president of the Association of California Water Agencies from 1993 to 1995.
Director Short was a member of the California Walnut Commission, the Federal Walnut Control Board, and also served as chairman of the export and research committees of the California Walnut Marketing Board.
Short was also a U.S. Marine Corps Reservist.
The Turlock Irrigation District will look to appoint a new director to serve the remainder of Short’s term, which runs to 2011. The Board will have three new faces by 2010, as Division 3 Director Michael Berryhill and Division 5 Director Randy Fiorini will not seek reelection in November.
A memorial service for Short will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at Centenary Methodist Church in Modesto.
To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.
