THORNTON, Frederick William - b. March 18, 1936 - d. February 3, 2007

[Janet Harrington]

(Independence Daily Reporter, February 6, 2007, page 2)

Frederick William Thornton, 70, of Ponca City, Okla., died Saturday at his home.

A Celebration of Life service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Severy Baptist Church with Pastor Allen Seimears officiating.  Burial with military honors will be conducted by the U. S. Marine Corps in Cresco Cemetery south in Severy.

Memorials are suggested to the Severy Baptist Church, and they may be left with Zimmerman Fuenral Home.

Mr. Thornton was born on March 18, 1936 at Clarksdale, Mo., to James and Mary (Dailey) Thornton.

He served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1954 until 1958.  When the Vietnam War began, he re-enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve.  he served for nine years as a trainer for the Kansas City Sniper Scout Division, and was honored as "Marine of the Year" for the Kansas City District in 1969.

On Jan. 12, 1963, he married Cora Seimears in Bethel, Kan.  Mr. Thornton was a "Million Mile Safe Driver" during his career with Pie and Yellow Freight.  The couple made their home in the Kansas City area until his retirement.

After retiring, they moved to a farm near Kincaid, Kan.  In 2000, he suffered a stroke and in later years the couple lived in Ponca City.  Mrs. Thornton survives.

Other survivors include two sons, Fred Thornton, Jr., Maysville, Mo., and Jim Thornton, Pleasant Hill, Mo.; three daughters, Mary Daniels, Kansas City, Mo., Beverly Tutorino and Peggy Mullinix, both of Raymore, Mo.; nine grandchildren and six great0grandchidlren; two sisters, Rita Wilks, Independence, Mo., and Karen Lane, Kansas City; and two brothers, Jim Thornton and Bob Thornton, both of Kansas City.