Charles Harold Thornton

Charles Harold Thornton of Young Harris, GA passed away on Saturday, November 22 in Atlanta, GA.

Charlie was born on September 17, 1959 in Griffin, GA to Nellie and Robert Joseph Thornton. Charlie graduated from Indian Springs Academy in Jackson, GA. He received a bachelors degree in Business from GA State University. He completed this degree while working full time and helping to raise 2 boys.

Charlie began working in the “Bell System” in 1978 – right out of high school when he moved to Macon, GA and worked in the assignment office. He moved to outside plant and climbed telephone poles to install residential service for customers until 1983 when he fell off a damaged pole and decided it was a good time for a job change. He moved to central office engineering, then managed a customer service repair group, was promoted to CO manager. Charlie was then promoted to Technical Support Manager where he was called on to fix problems in AT&T network that 2 previous levels of technicians could not. In addition to doing his regular job, he was selected to be on Bell South’s Disaster Recovery Team where over the next few years he traveled to the sites of hurricanes, floods, ice storms, etc. and managed activities to restore service to the victims in those areas. He told harrowing stories of working on an island with flood waters rising, leading semi-trucks with generators across bridges with sections destroyed by hurricanes weaving back and forth on sections remaining and more. He retired from AT&T in 2021 after 43 years of service.

Charlie was quite the prankster and loved playing good natured jokes on friends and colleagues – especially at work. He could be quite the cynic at times. He wasn’t the most patient person – he often said “God please give me patience and give it to me now.”

In 1983, he married his bride of 42 years, Jo Ellen Allen. They had 2 sons, Robert Joseph Thornton, III in 1987 and Michael Allen Thornton in 1989. Charlie loved to spend time with his family – especially helping coach the boys in football and baseball. He drove the family all over the US for travel baseball and football tournaments including Cooperstown – home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He served as Equipment Manager for the Atlanta Colts Football Youth Association in Atlanta while the boys played football there. He even built a batting cage in the backyard of his home for the boys’ batting practice.

He loved to travel and went on many cruises with the family – his favorites being Alaska and the Canadian Maritimes. While in his college International Business Course he had an opportunity to go to Germany. But even just pitching his tent on the shores of FL beaches brought him much joy.

Cooking with his boys was also one of his favorite activities. He taught them to be awesome chefs. Then after the move to the beautiful N. GA mountains, they enjoyed chilling together on the deck enjoying the view, watching the deer, turkey, bears and just relaxing.

We can’t forget the love for his fur babies – Tiger, Beau, Nova and Cammy. Notice the trend there? Yea – he was a huge Auburn fan. You might have wanted to wear ear plugs during the Auburn football games!

The most difficult thing Charlie ever faced was the loss of his oldest son Joseph in 2020.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Jo Ellen Thornton, his son Michael Thornton, his brother-in-law Michael Algie Allen, his nieces Betsey Thornton-Griffin, Katie Thornton, and Tori Thornton- Greenberg and his 4fur babies – Tiger, Beau, Nova and Cammy.

He was preceded in death by his parents Nellie and Robert Joseph Thornton, his son, Joseph Thornton, and his brother Bobby Thornton.

Visitation: Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 5-8 PM at Banister-Cooper Funeral Home in Hiawassee, GA.

Memorial Service: Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Sharp Memorial UMC in Young Harris, GA. Reverend Craig Hutto officiating. Reception following service.

Graveside Service: Monday, December 8, 2025 at 3:00 PM at Laurel Hills Memory Garden in Young Harris, GA.

Pallbearers: Rick Andrews, David Barber, George Barber, Jon Crisler, Les Fuerch and Bob Whitaker-Lea.

Honorary Pallbearers: Michael Algie Allen, Allen Whitaker In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Memory of Charlie Thornton to Sharp Memorial UMC designating the YHC Campus Cupboard Ministry.

Banister – Cooper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for Charlie