Kim Thorson

Kim Thorson was born on the 2nd of March, 1932 at Mrs. Billy’s Maternity Home in Macoun, Saskatchewan.  He died peacefully at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina on January 7, 2026. 

He was predeceased by his father, Miles Thorson; mother, Ethel (Sinclair) Kuchinka; step-father, Barney Kuchinka Sr.; his loving wife, Myrt; step-brother, Barney Kuchinka Jr; and half brother, Daryl Kuchinka.

Kim is survived by his son, Eric (Suzanne) and their children Viktor, Arianna, and Anton; his daughter Janet (Frank Abramovic) and their children Thomas and Katie; daughter Vanessa and her children Loughran, Lily and Sarah; sister, Ann Rose and her husband Dave Baillie; brother-in-law, George Lipsett.  

His father Miles Thorson died tragically on May 28, 1932.  After his mother remarried in 1933, Kim was raised at Macoun on the family farm by his mother, Ethel and step father Barney Kuchinka along with his stepbrother Barney, half-brother Darryl and half-sister Ann.  Along with his nuclear family, Kim was surrounded by cousins, aunts and uncles who all came from one of three families who had settled in Macoun around the turn of the last century: the Sinclair’s, the Thorson’s and the Kuchinka’s.  It is impossible to state how important his family was to Kim, and how he valued the love and support that he received from them as he grew up, and for the rest of this life.

Kim completed his schooling at Macoun, and in 1950 entered the University of Saskatchewan where he completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics degree.  In 1954 Kim won a scholarship which allowed him to spend four months in Africa, an amazing adventure for a young man.

He returned to the U of S and began to work on a Master’s degree in Economics, but fate had other plans in store.  In 1956 Kim was asked by Tommy Douglas to run as the CCF candidate for the constituency of Souris Estevan. To Kim’s great surprise, he won and became (at that time) the youngest legislator in Canada.   By the election of 1960, Dad had acquired a wife and two children, so when he lost the election that year, Kim and his wife Myrt decided that law school was their best option.  He completed his LLB and BA (Arts) in 1963 at the University of Saskatchewan.

After articling in Saskatoon, Kim and family returned to Estevan where he partnered with well-known local lawyer W.W. Lynd. In Estevan they built a house on Alice Road overlooking the valley.  Kim served on the Estevan School Board and joined the local Masonic Lodge.

Politics were never far away.  Just 6 months after the June general election which elected the NDP to government under Allan Blakeney, the MLA for Souris-Estevan died. On December 1, 1971, Kim won the byelection and not long after was appointed Minister of Industry & Commerce, eventually holding a number of cabinet positions.

In 1972 the family, now with three children, moved to Regina.  In the 1975 general election Kim was defeated but not daunted. He joined the firm Griffin and Beke where he was made a partner and the firm was renamed Griffin, Beke, and Thorson. Kim was also made a Q.C. (Queen’s Council) the same year.  He was a member of both the Interprovincial Pipe and Steel Company (IPSCO) Board and the Cameco Board.

Kim loved to plan and build things like tables and chairs and also houses.  He built three.  He designed a house for a lot he and Myrt bought on South Albert Street in Regina.  It was a fine two-story house completed in 1982.  Kim built the fences and designed the gates, did the landscaping, and planted the trees that spring with the help of his Uncle Colin Sinclair.  This was the house that was our final and most beloved home as a family.

Eventually, Kim and Myrt looked to downsize and in 1991 Kim decided to move to Weyburn where he partnered with George Hardy.  When George Hardy retired Kim was on his own for a short while. Eventually he and Don Horner joined forces.  Kim retired in 2012, and he and Myrt enjoyed a happy and full retirement.

In Weyburn, Kim was eventually president of the Rotary Club, served on the board of the Humane Society, and was instrumental in fund raising for the new hospital.  He renovated a house rather than building one.  Kim and Myrt loved to garden and created a little spot under some elm trees in the garden called “Kids Korner”, marked with a wooden sign Kim created with his router and that Myrt painted. This was for Kim and Myrt’s 8 grandchildren, who filled the later years of their life with an abundance of lore and laughter. During the years they lived in Weyburn, they traveled extensively – as far away as Egypt and as close to home as Assiniboia.  They loved going to Yukon to see Vanessa’s family, and to visit Eric’s family, where ever the Army stationed him.  Tom and Katie were frequent visitors to the house in Weyburn, seeing it as a second home.

Myrt passed away on December 16, 2020, and Kim felt he needed to give up his house in Weyburn to be closer to Janet and her family.  He began a journey to find a retirement community where he could feel at home and in March of 2023 he found Harvest Haven at Broadway Terrace. Parkinson’s Disease took a terrible toll, eventually robbing Kim of his ability to speak and to walk.  Despite this, he remained engaged, reading extensively, following politics, writing histories of his beloved pioneer family and often working on poetry.  This was quite appropriate, as he loved poetry and had a poem for every occasion.  The staff of Harvest Haven all deserve nothing but lavish praise and thanks for their loving care of Dad.  He loved them and was grateful for their continuing kindness, which lasted until two days before his death.  We are grateful to the staff of Pasqua Hospital who provided comfort and care to Kim, during the last two days of his life. Eric, Janet, Frank, Tom and Katie where with him at the end of his life.

Throughout his life, he worked to support his family and community.  Even as his health failed, he worked hard to use the strength he had to care and provide for others, and make plans for the future, even to the end.

A Service of Remembrance was held on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. from the Grace United Church, Weyburn, SK (210 ~ 3rd Street N.E.) with Sharon Elliott officiating.  Luncheon followed the service at the Upper Grace Hall, (210 ~ 3rd Street N.E.) Weyburn, SK

 In lieu of flowers, for family and friends so wishing, charitable donations in memory of Kim may be made to the Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation, Box 1416, Weyburn, SK, S4H 3J9.

                                                         Even This Will Pass Away

                              Once in Persia reigned a king, Who upon his signet ring

                         Graved a maxim true and wise, Which, if held before his eyes,

                      Gave him counsel at a glance Fit for every change and chance.

                        Solemn words, and these are they; “Even this shall pass away.”

                                                              ~ Theodore Tilton ~