John Thornton

OZARK… John Earl Thornton, age 71 of Ozark, passed away Friday, February 25, 2022, following a courageous battle with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Ozark with Father Chris Boutin, Celebrant, and Father Patrick Gallagher, Co-Celebrant officiating.  Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Midland City. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Monday at the funeral home.

Flowers will be accepted, or donations can be made to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 475 Camilla Avenue, Ozark, AL 36360, Community Hospice of Ozark, 126 Hospital Avenue, Ozark, AL 36360, or the Ozark-Dale County Humane Society, PO Box 2502, Ozark, AL 36361.

John, the son of L.E. and Mary (Maniscalco) Thornton, was a native of Greenville, MS.  He attended St. Joseph Catholic Schools and was a 1968 graduate of St. Joseph High School. He was a 1972 graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in Communications.

John retired from West Florida Electric Cooperative as Supervisor of Communications in 2016, after 32 years of service. He was an active member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. John was an avid Mississippi State Bulldog fan, and he had a great love for animals.

John was preceded in death by his parents, L.E. and Mary Thornton and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Weaver and Virginia Cockrell.  John is survived by his wife, Laura Cockrell Thornton, of Ozark; four sons, Teddy (Kristen) Thornton, of Cottondale, FL; Rod (Herrika) Thornton, of Chipley, FL; Thomas (Nina) Thornton, of Oxford, MS; Josh (Rachel) Moore; of Houston, TX; four daughters, April (Mark) Taylor, of Cottondale, FL; Claire (Adam) Treadwell, of Dothan, AL; Katy (Lance) Sellers, of Daleville, AL; and Sarah Morgan (Alex) Isaac, of Cullman, AL.  One brother, Larry (Melody) Thornton, of Greenville, MS.  Two sisters-in-law, Mary Royal, of Opelika, AL and Marti (Wayne) Massey, of Wicksburg, AL.

He is also survived by 15 grandchildren:  Brycen Thornton, Isabella Thornton, Carson Thornton, Brenlea Thornton, Teddi Love Thornton, Edward Thornton, Kane Thornton, Anna-Claire Taylor, Merrin-Vaughn Treadwell, Henley Thornton, John-Forrest Pape, Everlee Isaac, Jemma Thornton, Lillian Isaac and Rhett Taylor and several nieces and nephews.

Serving as active pallbearers will be Brycen Thornton, Carson Thornton, Adam Treadwell, Mark Taylor, Alex Isaac and Lance Sellers.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Curt Dunn, Steve Everett, Tam Huynh, Bill Breeze, John Reed and Dan Reeners.

The family would like to thank Jaqueline Atkins, Sherry Johnson and Carol Dawkins of Community Hospice – Our “A” (Angel) Team that took wonderful care of John during his illness.

John was known for his bright smile, his loud laughter and for doing “small things with great love”.