|
 Allen
L. Thornton, Sr., age 85, passed away on August 26, 2009 at his home
under the care of his family and Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley.
Allen Lester
Thornton, Sr. was born on May 12, 1924 in the town of Dekalb. He was
a son of the late Anias and Margaret (Hutchinson) Thornton. He attended
several local schools.
Mr. Thornton
served his country during WWII in Europe and the Pacific. He completed
his service as a heavy equipment operator at Fort Belvoir, VA.
He married
Alice Jane Goodale on November 15, 1944. Alice died on September 11,
1966. Allen’s second marriage was to Mary Frances (LaRue) Jackson
on May 13, 1967.
Allen retired
from J&L Steel in Star Lake as a welder in November of 1977 after
27 years of employment there. He had previously been a heavy equipment
operator for Gaines & Sherman, Potsdam and a mechanic for Western
Condensing Co., Heuvelton.
Mr. Thornton
became an ordained minister in 1978 at the Gospel Crusade Ministerial
Headquarters in Bradenton, FL and spent the next 30 years as an itinerant
preacher all along the Eastern Seaboard, Quebec and Ontario. He became
intimately involved in the Edwards Assembly of God. Allen was an accomplished
bluegrass and gospel musician and vocalist, and incorporated these into
his ministries. Allen has lived in Florida and Northern New York and
especially loved Wanakena, spending time on the water and in the woods.
He and Mary enjoyed their last years in Edwards.
His survivors
include his wife, Mary of Edwards, two children from his first marriage;
Mrs. Bonnie (Richard) Gobber of Montrose, CO, Mr. Allen “Bud” L.
(Linda) Thornton, Jr. of West Galway, four children from his second
wife’s first marriage; Mr. Wayne (Linda) Jackson of Great Bend, Mr.
Alan (Charlene) Jackson of Philadelphia, NY, Mr. Kevin (Pam) Jackson
of Cape Vincent, Mrs. Joan (Bill) Boyd of Hamlin, and a child the couple
had together, Mr. Joseph (Cindy) Thornton of Whiteville, NC. He is also
survived by a sister, Etha Nyval of Longview, WA, two brothers; Robert
Thornton of Edwards, Anias Thornton, II of Dekalb, and numerous grandchildren
and great grandchildren.
He is predeceased
by his first wife, a daughter, Mary Grobsmith, two brothers; Judson
and David, and three sisters; Eleanor Fulton, Thera Pond and Marjorie
LeBlanc.
Calling hours
will be on Sunday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at French Funeral Home, Edwards.
His funeral service will be on Monday, August 31, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.
at the New Beginnings Assembly of God in Edwards followed by burial
in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Heuvelton.
Donations in
Allen’s memory may be made to the Edwards Volunteer Rescue Squad,
Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley, or to the American Lung Association.
|
