Former NLV Councilman Theron Goynes, father of Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, dies

Veteran educator and former North Las Vegas Councilman Theron Goynes — who cracked a glass ceiling his daughter would later shatter — died Monday. He was 95.

“Theron Hulan Goynes was more than a father to me,” North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown wrote in a statement Tuesday. “He was a mentor and tireless champion for public service and education.”

Added the first Black mayor in Nevada’s history: “His dedication to our community and his belief in the power of education have left an indelible mark on North Las Vegas and beyond.”

Goynes-Brown credits her parents for her life in public service.

Just last year, she lost her mother, Naomi Delores Jackson Goynes.

The patriarch of the family was born in Texarkana, Texas, in 1929. He studied business administration in Prairie View A&M and served in the U.S. Air Force.

Theron Goynes and his wife relocated to Southern Nevada to pursue education careers with the Clark County School District.

He was a teacher, counselor, assistant principal and principal, “earning a master’s degree in education administration from Northern Arizona University,” the city said. “A trailblazer in education, public service and community leadership, Goynes was a dedicated advocate for progress and equity throughout his remarkable life.”

Theron Goynes was elected to the City Council where he served for two decades, more than half of the time as mayor pro tempore, or second in command.

“On September 16, 1981, he made history as the first African American elected representative in Nevada to officially head a government body, chairing a City Council meeting in the mayor’s absence,” the city said. He fell short in his own bid for mayor.

‘Remarkable achievements’

After then-Councilwoman Goynes-Brown won her mayoral race in 2022, she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that her father would take his children to work.

“Growing up we were always at City Hall,” she said. “It was the old building across the street, because we could play on the grass while they were in meetings.”

She added: “But sometimes he would make us come inside and listen to it. And I don’t think we realized then that we were actually learning.”

Goynes-Brown followed her parent’s footsteps, serving as an educator for decades before being elected to the council in 2011. She, too, was a mayor pro temp.

Her parents — who would try to catch every one of their daughter’s City Council meetings — were present during her mayoral inauguration. Her father held the bible she used to take her oath of office.

Theron Goynes was instrumental in renaming Highland Elementary School after Kermit R. Booker Sr. and creating Martin Luther King Boulevard in 1989.

For the couple’s contributions to education, Goynes and Jackson Goynes were honored in 2005 as namesakes of the Theron H. and Naomi D. Goynes STEM Academy in North Las Vegas.

Theron H. Goynes Park opened in 1998.

“This is a reward for all the work I’ve done, so I just had to say thank you. I deserve it,” Theron Goynes said in 2012 about the park’s dedication. “I don’t have any regrets. In spite of going through the integration program, I came out ahead.”

Goynes said at the time that it was important to tout his accomplishments as a way to inspire the community.

“I want everybody to feel like I do,” he said.

Meanwhile, the city reflected on Theron Goynes’ legacy.

“As the City of North Las Vegas remembers Theron Hulan Goynes, we celebrate his remarkable achievements and his unwavering commitment to progress and equity,” the city wrote. “His influence and impact will be felt for decades to come.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.