David F. Thornton

David F. Thornton, of Salem, Virginia and Lexington, Massachusetts, died March 13, 2008 at the Bedford VA Memorial Hospital, Bedford, Massachusetts. A true gentleman and public servant, he was also a thespian, photographer, newspaperman, state Senator, educator, development officer, and an inveterate raconteur who travelled a million miles and never met a stranger. Born in 1924 to Esther Smith Thornton and John Hervey Thornton, he was predeceased by his parents and his brother, John Hervey Thornton, Jr. He is survived by his beloved wife, Dimity A (Lippitt) Thornton; and a loving family, John and wife, Linda Thornton, David's goddaughters, Evelyn, Lucas and Susanna, Ann Thornton Hepper, husband David and son Charles; stepchildren Gary and wife Ana Maria, Carolina and Alexandra Wilcox; Bret and wife Naomi, Saya and Koya Wilcox; and Karin, Montanna and Tess Cassel.
David was raised in the family print shop in Salem, Va., where his father was publisher of The Salem Times-Register. He served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II in the Asia/Pacific Theater and was based on Okinawa when the war was ending. He returned to graduate from Roanoke College and went on to earn a degree of Master of Arts at Columbia University.
Upon the death of his father, David stepped into his shoes as owner/editor, publishing the Salem Times-Register. He was an avid theater person, a founding member of the Showtimers Theater group, and an active Rotarian. Music from Mozart to opera, bluegrass and Fats Waller touched him deeply, and he was an accomplished ballroom dancer as well as an avid reader of history, biography, political works, mysteries and theater-related literature. After the sale of the family publishing business, David joined the administration of Roanoke College and became Vice President and Director of Development. He served in the Virginia State Senate from 1971 until 1975.
In 1976, David relocated to Massachusetts, where he was subsequently employed by Harvard University as a planned giving development officer and then by Harvard Law School, where he served as Director of Planned Giving. David and Dimity, a former teacher, met at Harvard when he hired her to work in the University Development Office. She later became a Harvard College admissions officer, and they remained active in the Harvard community until they retired in June 2004 due to his illness.
Although he has maintained close ties with Salem, Va. for all of his life and was a Trustee/Trustee Emeritus of Roanoke College until his death, David also developed a deep love for Truro, Mass. on Cape Cod. His love of the Cape and expertise in fundraising combined to make him a considerable asset to the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies as he served on its board of Directors and to other Cape Cod non-profit organizations.
Upon being returned to his beloved Roanoke Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, David's ashes will be interred privately near his Virginia home. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his memory to the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts, 311 Arsenal St. Watertown, MA 02472 or to Roanoke College c/o Resource Development 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153, where a fund is being established in his name. David's family and friends offer their most sincere gratitude to the staff of the GRECC Unit of the Bedford VA Hospital for their extraordinary, loving care during his final year.