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Dr. William Terrance "Terry" Thornton
1939 - 2010
Dr. William Terrance "Terry" Thornton
1939 - 2010
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William Thornton Obituary
Terry attended public school in Monroe County and graduated from Hatley High School, Class of 1957. He earned three degrees, including a doctorate, from the University of Mississippi.
Terry married Betty Ann Rooker of Tupelo on December 17, 1961. Terry taught briefly at Brookhaven High School before returning to North Mississippi to teach science at Milam Jr. High School in Tupelo and elementary science for the newly-created educational programming at WTVA in Tupelo. These lessons were the first educational TV to be broadcast in the state of Mississippi and were watched both by children in the classrooms and by television viewers in North Mississippi, Western Alabama, and Southern Tennessee. After two years in Tupelo, Mr. Thornton was named an NDEA fellow at Ole Miss. When he completed his doctorate, he began his college teaching career at Troy State College, now Troy University. He later taught in the Troy University System at the Fort Rucker Branch and the Dothan Branch.
Dr. Thornton was a man of many talents and interests. He played the piano and organ at numerous churches, social events, and weddings. He loved both reading and writing and was the author of numerous stories, poems, and recollections of growing up in Monroe County. Terry was a popular public speaker and conversationalist. He was a naturalist and bird watcher. Terry taught countless students and teachers to enjoy studying science.
Dr. and Mrs. Thornton have two sons, William Terrance “Teb” Thornton, Jr., (Coleen), Fulton, and James Garfus Thornton (Charlena), New Orleans; his grandchildren, William Terrance III, and Margaret Ann, Fulton, and Charles William, New Orleans; brother, Thomas Sherman Thornton, (Patricia), Amory; and several nieces and nephews.
A Memorial service for Terry Thornton will be held at 10 AM, Thursday at the funeral home with Rev. John Foster officiating. Inurnment will follow in Lann Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 – 7 PM, Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be given to Itawamba Historical Society, Mantachie, 38855-0007 or Sanctuary Hospice House Home Care, 5159 W. Main St., Tupelo, 38803.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at [email protected]. Arrangements for the Thornton family are in the care of E. E. Pickle Funeral Home, Amory; 256-2644.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
500 3rd Avenue South P.O. Box 127, Amory, MS 38821
People and places connected with William
Recent Obituaries
Recent Obituaries
Recent Obituaries
Jesse Yancy
August 24, 2010
He was a wonderful man and a thorough scholar. His work is a family treasure for all us Yanc(e)ys.
William Harpole
August 24, 2010
Dear Family, I just learned last night about Mr. Thornton's death and I am so sorry. Mr. Thornton and I had exchanged many emails, and I sent him a picture of a bottle tree and he had it on his website. I will keep you all in prayer.
Jane Diano
August 18, 2010
Dear Thorton Family, I am so sad. Terry and I emailed for several years about genealogy. He helped me so much. He was the kindest person. Recently we discovered that we were distant cousins. Without him I would not have been able to discovered so many things about my family in Monroe County. His good heart reached all the way to California.
Jane Diano (San Diego, Ca.0
Rodney Lindsey
August 12, 2010
Dear Betty and the Thornton Folks...
Terry helped me to appreciate Itawamba and Monroe counties, where many of my ancestors lived. When I started my genealogical search, he was such a help and encouragement. His writings have inspired me and many others. God Bless You!
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Terri Kallio
August 12, 2010
Dear Thornton Family,
I was very sad to hear of the passing of Terry through the Geneablogging community. Mr. Thornton's blog was a true inspiration. His contribution to the world of genealogy for his beloved Monroe County, Mississippi amazing. He will be missed greatly! My thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of sorrow.
Terri Kallio
Ann Gordon
August 12, 2010
Betty and Sons,
I am deeply saddened at the loss of Terry. His generous giving of time and effort to those of us who needed a push to pursue our genealogy seemed endless. His intelligence and wit were unsurpassed. Most of all, the courage he found to continue his passion was remarkable. I know that this couldn't have happened without his "Sweetie."
Sharon Miller
August 12, 2010
Dear Thornton Family,
What a sad day it has been to learn about the passing of Terry. Please accept my condolences. What a story teller, historian and true Southern Gentleman he was. He will be deeply missed. A little part of him will always remain in his stories and the support he gave so many genealogy researchers and his community for years to come. Rest in peace dear friend.
Scott and Bonita Pipkins
August 12, 2010
We were fortunate to have been neighbors of the Thornton's for a brief period. Although we did not spend as much time as we would have liked, we cannot imagine having better neighbors during hurricane Katrina than Dr. and Mrs. Thornton. The world has lost a true gentleman. Our heartfelt sympathies to Mrs. Thornton and her family. May he rest in peace.
Susan Edminster
August 11, 2010
Dear Thornton Family,
Terry warmly wrote me several times about genealogy and writing. I appreciated him very much and wish it had been possible to know him better. I pray your sadness and grief will be tempered by having had such a special person as your family. May God truly bless each of you.
Sue Edminster, Granite Falls, WA
Robin Linn
August 11, 2010
Dear Betty and the Thornton Family,
Please accept my deepest condolences. Terry was so talented, kind and supportive, This is such a loss. He will be sorely missed.
Robin Linn
New Orleans
Dudley Pearce
August 11, 2010
What a sad surprise!!! I have known Terry only from a distance--Winchester, Virginia to the hills of Northeast Mississippi. I never lived in Monroe County, but during boyhood we visited the Pearce Chapel community twice a year. It was the childhood home of my dad, Dr. Rex R. Pearce, and others of our Pearce chain. Terry left a great legacy for those of northeast Mississippi Hill Country and those of us still distantly connected. My condolences to his entire family, particularly his wife Betty.
Greta Koehl
August 11, 2010
My deepest condolences on the loss of a wonderful man. I was one of many whom he befriended and encouraged online. His writing was my gold-standard model. He has left such a positive mark on the entire genealogy and genea-blogging community. Memory eternal.
Bob Franks
August 11, 2010
When Terry returned to the beautiful hills of his native northeastern Mississippi, the region he loved so much was greatly blessed. Terry was more than a resident - he was a valued citizen. His noble works with the promotion and preservation of the rich history and heritage of this region never wavered. From his volunteerism with the Gaither House Project in Fulton, and numerous projects with the Itawamba Historical Society, to his teaching students in the A Way Out after school program about their cultural heritage, he never strayed from those noble deeds.
Terry was also a master story teller and through his wonderful and vivid pen pictures he wrote, readers have experienced the rich history, heritage and beauty of his beloved hill country.
Above all else, Terry was a close friend - a friend I admired and respected - that rare type of person who can pick you up when you are down, make you laugh when you are sad, and motivate you when things get slow. And I have lost a good friend. But when a good friend becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure that will last forever. My life has been richly blessed for having known Dr. William Terrance Thornton.
Miriam Midkiff
August 11, 2010
Dear Betty and the Thornton Family,
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I am another of the many members of the genealogy blogging community that will miss Terry and his writings. I had the privilege of knowing him as a good blogging friend and colleague, e-mailing him fairly often and talking a couple of times with him via Skype. Just this small amount of contact with him over the past few years is nothing, I know, compared to how deeply you all knew and loved him. But please know that our community is at a great loss without him, too, and we send our condolences to and prayers for you.
Pamela Warren
August 11, 2010
A great spinner of yarns, and teller of tales has left our midst. No one needed to tell Terry that the stories were important and needed to be told. His writing showed us by example what we should be doing. My deepest sympathy to his family, may God bless.
Leah Kleylein
August 11, 2010
My deepest condolences to the family. I never met Terry in person, but that does not diminish the effect his writing had on me. I'm so sorry.
Patricia Neely-Dorsey
August 11, 2010
I had only known Terry for a short time, but it seemed as though we had known each other for years. It is wonderful to have been acquainted with such a creative, talented and supportive friend.
I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing. He will be sorely missed.
Patricia Neely-Dorsey(Tupelo, MS)
Tammi Thiele
August 11, 2010
I sadly did not have the chance to meet him. But I was an avid reader of his blog. My deepest sympathy goes out to those who will miss him.
Ruth Himan
August 11, 2010
I never met Terry but loved reading his blogs on a regular basis. I am so sorry for our loss. I was a genealogy email friend of Terry's. Blogger friends are sometimes closer than "real" friends. We will miss the great stories that he narrated on his blog. He touched our lives and our hearts through his writings. May he rest in peace.
Donna Pointkouski
August 11, 2010
Unfortunately, I never got a chance to meet Terry in person. I knew him through his wonderful writing on his blog and through email. He was smart and witty, and he encouraged me greatly as I began blogging. He was a true gentleman, and he will be missed. I will remember him and his family in my prayers.
Louisiana GenealogyBlogs
August 10, 2010
I am so upset to read of Mr. Thornton's passing. I am better for having known him but I will miss my genealogy friend.
Oliver Westmoreland Jr.
August 10, 2010
I am proud to say that I knew Dr. Terry Thornton, and was able to experience all of the progressive ideas and motivations that emerged from his passion for historic preservation. His caring heart and creative mind will be a large void at the Itawamba Historical Society. I pray that God watches over the family and many friends who loved and appreciated him. My sympathies to the Thornton family.
Dorene Paul
August 10, 2010
Deepest sympathies to the Thornton family from Ohio. Terry was such a positive influence on the genealogy blogging community. I will always be grateful for his mentoring. He touched so many lives.
August 10, 2010
Betty and Thornton Family,
I so enjoyed Terry's Hill Country Blog and all his wonderful stories. Thanks for sharing him with the online world. Condolences to each of you. Rest in Peace Terry! Margaret Tull (Selmer, TN)
Lana NcKinny
August 10, 2010
May I offer my deepest sympathy to the family. He will be missed by many.
Kathryn Doyle
August 10, 2010
May his memory be eternal.
My condolences to Terry's family. Although we never met in person, Terry was a friend and supporter. As I told him last year in an email "We're physically, politically, culturally and probably other "ally" ways, miles apart but we have found common ground with genealogy and writing and eels."
Rest in peace, Dr. Thornton.
Jennifer Regan
August 10, 2010
Terry was one of the first to encourage me in my genealogy blogging, and it meant so much to me. I enjoyed reading his blog, and chatting with him via email. I will certainly miss him, his humor, his writing, and his charm. My deep sympathies to his family and friends.
Ruth Stephens
August 10, 2010
My deepest sympathies. Terry will most certainly be missed.
Ruth Stephens
Bluebonnet Country Genealogy
Elyse Doerflinger
August 10, 2010
I am so so sorry for your loss. I was a genealogy friend of Terry's - and he always had such kind and uplifting words for me. He was a very kind man with such great stories to tell. I will miss the great stories that he told on his blog so much. I know nothing I say will lessen the pain - but I just wanted to tell you how he touched my life. May he rest in peace and may God give you comfort during this most difficult time.
Bill West
August 10, 2010
Terry,You were truly a gentleman and a scholar. I will miss your stories and your sense of humor.
Our geneablogger community is a poorer one for your passing. My deepest condolences to your family.
Lori Thornton
August 10, 2010
I'm so sorry that I cannot make it to Mississippi to be with the family. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to all of you. Terry was a born storyteller. I'll miss having him around to share the discoveries of the Thornton family history.
The Staff of E. E. Pickle Funeral Home
August 10, 2010
Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.
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