Daniel Thurston - Founder

1945 - 2023

As a young man, Dan left his childhood home in California to travel the country and worked in a variety of industries. He worked on an apple orchard in Washington state, as a clerk in Iowa, and at a metal refinery back in California. Dan served in the United States Marine Corps in the late 1960’s, a source of pride he would carry with him in all his future endeavors.

Dan had been an Elko resident since 1979, which he would tell anyone with great pride. Shortly after moving to Elko he founded Thurston Testing Laboratory, which he continued to operate until his death. During his more than 45 years in business he had the honor to contribute to the construction of many Elko County institutions, houses, and landmarks. Many of his dearest friends date back to his early business days in Elko County.

He was a former 5th grade catechism teacher for St. Joseph's Catholic Church, a former Little League Baseball umpire, former Elko County Science Fair judge, and served as an assistant coach for the Elko High School speech and debate team. Very little pleased him more than to hear in later years from the young men and women with whom he had spent time in these programs.

His legacy of honesty, hard work, and dependability lives on in Thurston Laboratories.