William Franklin Thorn

William (Bill) was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, on January 30, 1930, to William Floyd Thorn and Jessie Marie (Smith) Thorn. Bill graduated from Guthrie High School, and during this time, he worked part-time at gas stations, grocery stores, and on his grandfather's farm, where he was a huge help, especially at harvest time. Reflecting his desire to fly, Bill completed three years of ROTC and one semester of avionics while in high school. In 1949, he made the decision to get his education in the United States Air Force, while at the same time serving our great nation.

He fell in love with Carol Ross, and they were married July 3rd, one day before the fireworks began (one of Bill's favorite sayings), on the Fourth of July, 1949. They served across the United States and overseas at Burtonwood Air Force Base in Warrington, England, and Naha Air Force Base in Naha, Okinawa, adding three daughters along the way, Patricia, Karen, and Judy. These years would see Bill through the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Cold War.

While stationed in Okinawa in 1964, observing the people worshiping their ancestors and numerous false gods, Bill and Carol felt the call from God to start a mission and to teach the people about the true God.
In 1969, Bill, now an elite member of his community with many years ahead of him, retired from twenty-and-one-half years in the United States Air Force as Master Sergeant, returned to the Oklahoma City area, bought a nice home and went to work for Western Electric where his intelligence and attention to detail were noted and he was asked to be an instructor for electrical courses. He enrolled at Oklahoma State University to further his education, but God had other plans. God spoke to Bill and Carol, individually, calling them back to serve Him as missionaries in Okinawa and to sell all that they owned. Much to the consternation of their friends and family, they put their house and their personal belongings up for sale, and their house sold in just two days.
Soon after returning to Okinawa, they were asked to care for a native fifteen-month-old baby girl, Aiya, whose mother had just passed away. God led them to adopt her, and she became a huge help in their mission work.
The Naha church is still going strong, with some of the original members attending, even yet. There are many souls who made it to Heaven because Bill and Carol obeyed God. Bill retired from the mission field in 1985, returned to the United States, and pastored churches in Chandler, Oklahoma; Wichita Falls, Texas; and served as an interim pastor for six months in Woodward, Oklahoma, before he and his wife established a church in their hometown of Guthrie, Oklahoma.
Bill assisted Carol in her role as Operations Manager of God's Food Bank for fourteen years in Guthrie, serving five hundred fifty families per week. Now, the miles, the years, and the hard work had "put them both out to pasture," as Bill has said.

Bill and Carol served a total of fourteen years on the island of Okinawa, where they are known, honored, loved and revered across the island. Their influence and teachings have lived on, and their story has passed on through the years and will for generations to come. Anyone visiting is sure to hear wonderful stories of the legends, the "Teacher Thorns," and their names will forever be threaded through Okinawan history and tales.

Settling in Bill's starting point in Guthrie, Carol's cousin blessed them with an acre of land upon which to build a home. Matthew 19:29 promises: "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Bill and Carol knew that God was giving back that which they had sacrificed to serve Him.

Bill, as a 100% disabled veteran, has remained active and studious throughout the years of retirement and, after just a few weeks of illness, went to be with Jesus on November 10, 2025. This is the goal his eyes have been set on for most of his life.

He leaves behind his grieving wife, Carol; his children, Aiya Kelley (George), Judith Damron, and Patricia Geel (Jon); grandchildren, Carolina Sloan (Austin), Trent, Rhonda (Jared), Michael (Brittney), Sondra (Ronnie), Melanie (Bo), Missy (Rodney), Rebecca (Molt), Ken (Angela), Karen, and Tim; numerous great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, his sister, Betty, nieces, nephews, cousins, his precious dogs, and thousands of dear friends.

The service honoring his life with full military honors will be at 1:00 P.M., Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at Community Church located at 512 East Seward Road in Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044. Interment will be at Chapel Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens at 3:30 P.M. located at 8701 Northwest Expressway, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73162. Services are under the direction of Smith-Gallo Funeral Home, 220 North 1st Street, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044.

Visitation for family and friends will be Monday, November 17, 2025, 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M., at the Smith-Gallo Funeral Home, 220 North First Street, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044.

Friends may sign the online guestbook at www.smithgallo.com.

Okinawa Church History - William Thorn

"GOD WORKS IN MYSTEROUS WAYS-
---His wonders to perform." Carol, an Air Force wife, going through some discouragements, made the statement, "I just wish the Lord would just send us out to the middle of nowhere!" The next morning, when Bill went to work, he had orders for Okinawa, a small 3 by 65 mile island, ---on the opposite side of the world, in the South Pacific! When he came home, he told her, "you got your wish!" Little did they know that God was in it. He routed them by the Arkansas Church camp, where He got Bill's attention, and he gave his life over to Him, preparing him for God's purpose. Upon arrival on the little island of Okinawa, we were soon made aware that though the Okinawan people worshiped eight million gods, they knew nothing about the true God. A JAL pilot's wife told us that she thought Jesus was an astronaut. We had no formal training, but we felt the call to teach the people about Jesus, and true salvation. As the old hymn states, "Little is Much If God Is In It". We didn't have the training, but we gave "our little" to Him to use in Okinawa, and He blessed, and miraculously used it. God sent us four Jr. High students who wanted us to help them with their English. This became our outreach to teach the people about the true God. We started worshiping in our home, then we rented a house. When we outgrew the front room, the landlord, recognizing and appreciating what we were doing, willingly knocked out the wall to a bedroom to give us more space

When the military returned us to the States, God sent missionaries, Bro. And Sis. Glen Gantzer, to take over the work, who with God's help, built a beautiful permanent Church.

I retired from the Air Force, moved back to Oklahoma, bought a beautiful home, had a great job, entered college---but God wasn't through with us. He soon made it plain that He wanted us to return to Okinawa. We put our house up for sale, ---and sold it the next day. Our next door neighbor had had his up for sale for over a year. The buyer then even let us stay in the house until we left. We sold everything, and went to Bible school for one year, finishing by correspondence. My father was in bad physical condition, but God gave me a scripture to show me that it was His will for us to go. My sister took him and mom in and cared for them. Arriving back on the field, as we were very limited in our Japanese, God gave us a wonderful interpreter, and teachers. God gave our daughter Judy the language, and she taught a Sunday School class. With their help, we were able to establish two out-stations, and establish and build a second church on Henza Island.

Using the English class outreach that God gave us, we were able to introduce the true God. Even Japanese military officers, including the Adjutant General, came to us for help with their English, giving us the opportunity to introduce them to the true, living God. A Japanese fighter pilot, not only joined the work, he bought us a Toyota van to bus our Sunday School children in. Our last Christmas service there, saw 207 attending the Naha service. We were blessed with visits of Bro. and Sis. Dodd, Bro. and Sis. Johnson, Bro. Bullock, and C. Hellen Mooshin.

Soon after arriving back on Okinawa, we learned from a friend that a young mother was in the hospital, and needed someone to care for her baby. My wife quickly volunteered. The young mother died, and none of her relatives were willing to take the baby in. I had to make a trip to the States, and upon my return, my wife announced, "We have a baby!" What a surprise! Seriously, God was again in it all! That baby, Aiya, was part of God's purpose and plan. He put us there for her, and her there for us, and His purpose. She learned the piano quickly, and at a very young age began playing for the Church. She ran the loud speaker on the Church bus, calling children for Sunday School. She taught a Sunday School Class. She became an integral part of the Missionary endeavor. That little orphaned Okinawan baby grew up to run for the Oklahoma State Senate. She travels with General Flynn, singing the national anthem, and "God Bless America", for him. She has visited Mar A Largo three times, and met President Trump. She gave him two of her CDs, and he told her the next day that he listened to, and liked them. She witnesses for the Lord at every opportunity as he travels. She is the Music Director of a large church. After Carol fell and broke her hip, she could no longer care for herself. Aiya moved us both to her house, and put us in her master bedroom, where she now gives us 24/7 loving care. She said, "you took care of me, now I will take care of you!"

Truly, God has led our family since I turned my life over to Him and His divine will. I feel like God led me on a military supply trip to Viet Nam. I recall stepping off the C130, in Camron Bay. Jeeps with armed soldiers looking for sappers whizzed by. I felt like I was a thousand miles from God, and a Church. Then I saw it. A sparrow. And I remembered the scriptures about the sparrow, ---which can be found in every nation around the world, even war torn Viet Nam, and I suddenly felt God's presence. Even when I walked down the streets of Saigon, viewing the machine gun nests on the balconies of the houses, I felt His presence. Wherever we traveled, mainland Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, we felt God's hand and presence.

Because we gave our "little" to the Lord to invest, a number of souls have made it into Heaven. Three young men who we were able to lead to the Lord, were called to the ministry and became pastors. Our interpreter came to the States and pastored a Japanese church in Oklahoma City. One family moved to California where they are still faithful to a Japanese Holiness Church. The Naha church is still going strong and has a Godly native pastor. There are souls still attending, who were saved when we were there.
After retiring from missionary work, God used us to refire two churches, and start a new one. We can no longer serve physically, but I can and do, pray daily for those who are still on God's front lines.

It wasn't always easy on the mission field, we didn't get rich in the eyes of the world, but God supplied our needs, and worked literal miracles for, and through us. And the rewards were worth it all, seeing souls saved from Hell, and prepared for heaven. He gave us the promise, "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." (Matthew 19:29). Our lives are a living testimony to the literal fulfilment of that promise. What an honor to have been an instrument in His hands, to see souls saved from a devil's Hell! Truly, "Little is Much, If God Is In It!"