William B. “Bill” Thornton was born October 13, 1930, in Knoxville, Tennessee, the only son of George L. and Lillian Morgan Thornton. He died at his home in Dallas, surrounded by his family, dog Cooper, and hospice nurse James. Bill is survived by his wife, Billie Lorraine Ryan Thornton, of Dallas; his daughter Tamara Sue Farris and son-in-law Frank H. Farris, III of Farmersville, Texas; daughter-in-law Kathleen Ann Jeffrey of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter Cheryl Ann Thornton of Houston, Texas; grandsons Houston Farris of Denton, Texas and Fletcher Farris of Sanger, Texas; sister-in-law Carole Ryan Vento of Frisco, Texas; nephews Travis "Chip" Stone of Frisco, Texas and Jeff Stone of Irving, Texas; niece Diane Ryan Crandall of Carrollton; along with great grandchildren, great-nieces and great-nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and son, Charles Randall "Chuck" Thornton.
Married in 1952, Bill was a dedicated provider for his family and extended family, and was known by all for his wit and humor. Friends and colleagues lovingly referred to him as "Sweet Old Bill". He built his business, W.B. Thornton, Inc. and Northcrest Construction in the 1970's, putting in underground utilities for over 30 years. In 1995, he transitioned to Rodman Underground as a consultant and retired at age 76. Serving in the armed forces as an engineer in Germany during the Korean conflict, he loved to tell old war stories, business stories, or stories of any kind to entertain and get a laugh. Outside of his work activities, he enjoyed working jigsaw and crossword puzzles, reading biographies, Braum's ice cream, and his wife's home-cooking. He spent a number of years involved in business organizations such as the Associated General Contractors. For two decades, Bill was a member at Prestonwood Baptist Church along with his family.
Bill will be laid to rest with a graveside service held at 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Tuesday at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas.
Memorial Donations can be made to Community Hospice of Texas. Their kindness and care for our family during the final days of his life were truly priceless.