Hershey, PA - Franklin L. Kury, the former State Senator known for authoring an amendment that made the right to a clean environment part of the Pennsylvania Constitution has died.

He passed away on Sunday, August 16, 2026, in hospice care at the Country Meadows Retirement Community in Hershey, PA. He was 89.

As a state representative from Sunbury, Kury authored and championed what became, in 1971, the nation's first Environmental Rights Amendment, which guarantees Pennsylvanians the right to clean air, pure water, and a preserved environment, making the state a trustee of public natural resources. Now known as Article 1, Section 27, Kury introduced it on April 22,1970, to mark the first Earth Day celebration. As of 2026, five other states have followed his lead — Montana, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.

To honor the accomplishment of Kury's work on the Environmental Rights Amendment, an observation area of Shikellamy State Park in Sunbury was named Kury Point by Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in August 2021. During the ceremony, former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ron Castille, who wrote a 158-page decision in a landmark case in Washington County to uphold Kury's legislation several years ago, said "I think the people who are here see the beauty of Shikellamy State Park and they realize the work that Franklin Kury has done - not just here but for the whole state with that constitutional amendment that he sponsored - it's going to live in history."

Kury was born Oct. 15, 1936, to Barney and Helen (Witkowski) Kury of Sunbury, PA. The couple was originally from Shenandoah, PA. Young Kury attended public school in Sunbury, graduating in 1954. He graduated from Trinity College, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1958 and received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1961.

A family story holds that Franklin was originally named for his father Barney. However, on Oct. 29, 1936, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's campaign train rolled through Sunbury, and FDR made remarks to residents, among them Frank's father, outlining plans for the coal communities and for Sunbury which had been devastated by a flood that March. The story goes that Barney Kury was so impressed with FDR that he went to the courthouse and changed the baby's name to Franklin.

Kury served in the United States Army Reserves, as a staff assistant to Gov. George M. Leader, state co-chair of Students for Kennedy Johnson (1960), deputy attorney general in the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General (1962), and congressional staff to United States Representative George M. Rhodes (1963-66).

Kury was elected in an upset by defeating the incumbent representative and then served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Northumberland County (the 108th District) from 1966 to 1972. In addition to the Environmental Rights Amendment, Kury also fought for the Clean Streams Bill, the Surface Mining Bill and the Air Pollution Control Act while serving in the House of Representatives. In the six years Kury served in the House, more environmental protection bills became law than had in the entire history of Pennsylvania.

One of Kury's most instrumental contributions he made to his House District and the Central Susquehanna Valley was his achievement to acquire a new bridge over the Susquehanna River between Sunbury and Shamokin Dam.

Elected State Senator, from the 27th Senatorial District, in 1972, Kury was named the first chair of the Senate's Consumer Affairs Committee. During his Senate tenure, he was the driving force in reforming the Confirmation Process, the Public Utility Commission, Divorce Reform and No-Fault Insurance. After the Hurricane Agnes flood of 1972, and the devastating effects in Central Pennsylvania, Kury introduced and worked diligently for the passage of the Flood Plain Management & Storm Water Management Acts of 1978, in an effort to prevent future damage to flood-prone areas. He served as State Senator until his retirement in 1980.

After retiring from public service, Kury served as a registered lobbyist with Tive Hetrick & Pierce (1981-83); partner, Reed Smith, LLP (1983-2003); and registered lobbyist/consultant, Malady & Wooten (2004-2016).

A prolific writer, Kury took great pride in his books, which include "Clean Politics, Clean Streams: A Legislative Autobiography and Reflections;" "Why Are You Here? A Primer for Legislators and Citizens;" "Gerrymandering: A Guide to Congressional Redistricting," "Dark Money and the US Supreme Court;" and "The Constitutional Question to Save the Planet: The Peoples' Right to a Healthy Environment."

Kury served as a board member for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and as a board member emeritus of the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation, as well as a member of county and national bar associations and a member of the Polish National Alliance.

Kury was married for 61 years to his longtime girlfriend and law partner, Elizabeth (Heazlett) of Pittsburgh, who preceded him in death in 2024. Together they established the law office of Kury & Kury in Sunbury, which served the community for 20 years. In addition, they were enthusiastic world travelers, visiting Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and most countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Immediate survivors include his three sons, Steven (Gina), of Baltimore; David (Lauren), of San Francisco, and James and a grandson, Hunter, of Sacramento; a sister Gloria Kury of Harrisburg, and brothers, Bernard Kury (Lisa) of Philadelphia, and Channing Kury (Liisa) of Commack, NY. He was predeceased by brothers Wilson Kury and Wendell Kury.

A private family service will take place at a later date. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mt. Rd, Kempton, PA 19529. Send condolences at: www.hooverfuneralhome.com