AJ Media Editorial Board
When Lubbock was devastated by a killer tornado during the spring of 1970, it forever altered the city’s trajectory and the life of Jim Granberry, who had been elected mayor less than three weeks earlier.
The May 11, 1970, tornado and its aftermath are generally considered among the most important events in the city’s history after an evening tornado ripped a swath of terror through Lubbock, suddenly thrusting local officials into the role of leading rebuilding and recovery efforts as millions of federal dollars poured in.
Granberry stood tall throughout the extended crisis, casting a vision, building a team and developing consensus as Lubbock inched forward. His steady hand and strong leadership continued to be praised five decades later, which became even more apparent when Granberry, who was elected Lubbock’s youngest mayor at age 37, died over the weekend.
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Former Lubbock mayor dies at 89, jury selection begin in Minneapolis officer trial, House to look into COVID relief package
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He led Lubbock through the aftermath of the May 1970 tornado.
He was also Lubbock’s youngest mayor at 37. Granberry was 89.
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Mayor Jim Granberry, who helped Lubbock recover after 1970 tornado, has died at age 89
Remembering former Lubbock Mayor Jim Granberry By KCBD Staff | March 7, 2021 at 2:07 PM CST - Updated March 7 at 10:13 PM
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Jim Granberry, the mayor who helped Lubbock rebuild after the 1970 tornado, died over the weekend. He was 89.
Current Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope announced his passing on Sunday: “Denise and I are saddened to hear of the passing of former Lubbock Mayor, Jim Granberry. While he was the youngest Mayor to lead our city, more importantly, he lead us through the aftermath and rebuilding of our city following the May 11, 1970 tornado. We honor his life and will never forget his service to our city.”
Former Lubbock Mayor Granberry, who helped lead city after 1970 tornado, dies at 89
He was 89 when he died over the weekend.
Granberry had been in office just 19 days when a powerful tornado system ripped through the city, leaving 26 dead, many more injured and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage.
The former city councilman had been elected as Lubbock s youngest mayor at age 37 in a landslide victory and credited advice from a friend for convincing him to take the mayor s seat early rather than waiting for results of another run-off election on the council.
Granberry emphasized that it took a community-wide effort to help rebuild the city after the storm, writing a reflection piece for the Avalanche-Journal ahead of the 49th anniversary in May 2019.