Robert Mitchell Thornton Sr.
Athens - Robert Mitchell Thornton Sr. was born on April 12, 1923 in Point Peter, The Glade, Oglethorpe County, Ga., son of William Gordon and Ruby Turner Thornton. He was known as Jack to his family and friends. He lived as a child in The Glade with his family that included three brothers and two sisters and a large extended family of Turners, Settles, Glenns and others. After moving to Winterville, Ga., he attended Winterville High School where he and his friend, Billy Coile, were state doubles champions in tennis in 1938 and where he was a member of the state basketball championship team in 1939. Winterville High School won the state basketball title three years, 1939, 1940 and 1953, with each team having one of the Thornton brothers as members.
After graduating from high school in 1940, he entered Piedmont College and from there enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served in the 7th Air Force, 15th Fighter Group, 45th Squadron. After graduation from flight school in July 1944, he was assigned to Bellows Field, Hawaii, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and in March 1945 transferred to Iwo Jima flying the P-51D Mustang. He flew a total of 34 combat missions in April, May and June 1945, including fighter strikes and bomber escort missions from Iwo Jima to Japan. He recorded one air combat "kill" before he crashed on take-off from Iwo Jima on June 19, 1945 for which he received the Purple Heart. Jack said he would not have survived had the base dentist not rescued him from the flaming wreckage of his plane. After months of recovering on Iwo Jima and in Guam, he returned home and on December 22, 1946 married his pre-war sweetheart, Ruth Edwards Drewry of Athens.
Jack finished his college education at the University of Georgia in 1947 where he received a BBA degree and began an association with Smith, Boley, Brown, Inc. that lasted over 60 years where he became a shareholder and the executive in charge of their real estate business. His great love in real estate was the property appraisal business. He was among the first licensed appraisers in the state of Georgia and continued to appraise property until earlier this year.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Athens, a charter member and the first President of the Athens Board of Realtors, a charter member and the first secretary of the Athens Area Association of Real Estate Appraisers, President of the Athens Little Leagues and served in other civic organizations.
Although after the war he never again piloted an airplane, Jack never lost his fascination with flying and kept his radio tuned to the air traffic control band when he was not at the airport, out watching planes or traveling to air shows and Army Air Force squadron reunions.
He is survived by Ruth Drewry Thornton, his loving wife of 61 years and seven months. Survivors also include five children and 11 grandchildren, all of whom called him "Pop." Children are Robert Mitchell Jr. and Linda Thornton of Atlanta, Rev. William Gordon and Freida Thornton of Statham, Douglas Drewry and Beth Thornton of Atlanta, Pamela Ruth and John De Fazio of Athens and Nancy Carol and Kenny Wallace of Fayetteville. Grandchildren include: Amy Laurae and Eric Vinson of Chipley, Fla., Mauri Michelle and Donald Myers of Bentonville, Ark., Ruth Ann De Fazio of Atlanta, Emily Kathryn Thornton of Atlanta, Carol Elizabeth and Preston Henry of Athens, Paul William and Crystal Thornton of Winder, Michael Stovall Thornton of Damascus, Syria, Drewry James Thornton of Atlanta, Christine Elise Thornton of Winder, Karen Denise Wallace of Fayetteville and Katie Diane and Dan Judy of Columbus, Ga. He is also survived by a sister, Elizabeth Thornton Davis of Atlanta and two brothers, Jay and Billie Thornton of Thomasville, Ga. and Johnny and Barbara Thornton of Franklin, N.C., a brother-in-law, Jones Drewry of Athens. He was predeceased by a brother, William Glenn Thornton, formerly of Atlanta and a sister, Mary Thornton Blakeney, formerly of San Antonio, Texas.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m., Thursday, July 24, 2008 at Oconee Hill Cemetery with Rev. Gordon Thornton officiating. Visitors may sign the online guest register at www.allenfh.com .
ALLEN & ALLEN FUNERAL HOME
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Athens - Robert Mitchell Thornton Sr. was born on April 12, 1923 in Point Peter, The Glade, Oglethorpe County, Ga., son of William Gordon and Ruby Turner Thornton. He was known as Jack to his family and friends. He lived as a child in The Glade with his family that included three brothers and two sisters and a large extended family of Turners, Settles, Glenns and others. After moving to Winterville, Ga., he attended Winterville High School where he and his friend, Billy Coile, were state doubles champions in tennis in 1938 and where he was a member of the state basketball championship team in 1939. Winterville High School won the state basketball title three years, 1939, 1940 and 1953, with each team having one of the Thornton brothers as members.
After graduating from high school in 1940, he entered Piedmont College and from there enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served in the 7th Air Force, 15th Fighter Group, 45th Squadron. After graduation from flight school in July 1944, he was assigned to Bellows Field, Hawaii, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and in March 1945 transferred to Iwo Jima flying the P-51D Mustang. He flew a total of 34 combat missions in April, May and June 1945, including fighter strikes and bomber escort missions from Iwo Jima to Japan. He recorded one air combat "kill" before he crashed on take-off from Iwo Jima on June 19, 1945 for which he received the Purple Heart. Jack said he would not have survived had the base dentist not rescued him from the flaming wreckage of his plane. After months of recovering on Iwo Jima and in Guam, he returned home and on December 22, 1946 married his pre-war sweetheart, Ruth Edwards Drewry of Athens.
Jack finished his college education at the University of Georgia in 1947 where he received a BBA degree and began an association with Smith, Boley, Brown, Inc. that lasted over 60 years where he became a shareholder and the executive in charge of their real estate business. His great love in real estate was the property appraisal business. He was among the first licensed appraisers in the state of Georgia and continued to appraise property until earlier this year.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Athens, a charter member and the first President of the Athens Board of Realtors, a charter member and the first secretary of the Athens Area Association of Real Estate Appraisers, President of the Athens Little Leagues and served in other civic organizations.
Although after the war he never again piloted an airplane, Jack never lost his fascination with flying and kept his radio tuned to the air traffic control band when he was not at the airport, out watching planes or traveling to air shows and Army Air Force squadron reunions.
He is survived by Ruth Drewry Thornton, his loving wife of 61 years and seven months. Survivors also include five children and 11 grandchildren, all of whom called him "Pop." Children are Robert Mitchell Jr. and Linda Thornton of Atlanta, Rev. William Gordon and Freida Thornton of Statham, Douglas Drewry and Beth Thornton of Atlanta, Pamela Ruth and John De Fazio of Athens and Nancy Carol and Kenny Wallace of Fayetteville. Grandchildren include: Amy Laurae and Eric Vinson of Chipley, Fla., Mauri Michelle and Donald Myers of Bentonville, Ark., Ruth Ann De Fazio of Atlanta, Emily Kathryn Thornton of Atlanta, Carol Elizabeth and Preston Henry of Athens, Paul William and Crystal Thornton of Winder, Michael Stovall Thornton of Damascus, Syria, Drewry James Thornton of Atlanta, Christine Elise Thornton of Winder, Karen Denise Wallace of Fayetteville and Katie Diane and Dan Judy of Columbus, Ga. He is also survived by a sister, Elizabeth Thornton Davis of Atlanta and two brothers, Jay and Billie Thornton of Thomasville, Ga. and Johnny and Barbara Thornton of Franklin, N.C., a brother-in-law, Jones Drewry of Athens. He was predeceased by a brother, William Glenn Thornton, formerly of Atlanta and a sister, Mary Thornton Blakeney, formerly of San Antonio, Texas.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m., Thursday, July 24, 2008 at Oconee Hill Cemetery with Rev. Gordon Thornton officiating. Visitors may sign the online guest register at www.allenfh.com .
ALLEN & ALLEN FUNERAL HOME
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