Doyal Sanford Thornton

The was a grand celebration in heaven on Aug. 2, 2011, as Doyal Sanford Thornton Sr., age 82, entered into the realm of Glory.

There to greet him was his father, James J. Thornton; mother, Mae Reed Thornton; brother, J.B. Thornton; and a little brother; along with a host of other family and friends.
He was delayed a short time by a brief illness here on this earth.

He will be missed greatly by his wife of 59 years, Priscilla Park Thornton (Pat) and the rest of his family, daughters and sons-in-law, Cindy and Randall Teems of Cleveland, Rhonda and Chip King of McDonough; son, Doyal Thornton Jr. of Cleveland; sister, Laura Ann Wood of Oakwood; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Ann Thornton of Lilburn; sister-in-law, Elsie Thornton of Pensacola, Fla.; five grandchildren, Shelly and Sal Broes of Dawsonville, Brian and Lisa Teems of Flowery Branch, Garrett and Jill King of Loxley, Ala., and Lindsey King and Taylor King, both of McDonough; 10 great-grandchildren, Bailee and Parker Teems, Jordan Johnson, Gabriel and Sofia Broes, Conner, Eli, Seth, Evan and Ann Marie King; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Doyal enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force Jan. 7, 1946, at age 17, with Basic Training at Keesler Field in Biloxi, Miss.; Weather Observer School at Chanute Field in Rantoul, Ill. He served in the 604th Tactical Control Squadron in Freising, Germany from August 1946 to September 1948. He re-enlisted and was stationed at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Mass., where he met his beautiful wife.
He left for Japan in August 1950, assigned to 3rd Air Police Squadron in Iwakuni, Japan. From there it was on to Kunsan, Korea as first sergeant of the 3rd Air Police Squadron. He was sent back to the United States in April 1952 and was assigned to James Connally Air Force Base in Waco, Texas. He was discharged as a tech sergeant on March 24, 1953, after seven years, two months and 16 days of active military service.

The best description of our husband, daddy, granddaddy, great-granddaddy, brother, uncle, cousin and friend is found in Proverbs 20:7. He was truly "just a man walking in his integrity, and his children are blessed after him."

He followed after his earthly father and heavenly father in being a carpenter/preacher for his life's work, working on different construction sites, pastoring Winters Chapel Baptist Church in Doraville and ministering through different churches, always with a heart for soul-winning and visiting.
His Lord, family, church, neighbors and friends came first, driven by his sole purpose in life: "to serve others." His only hobby was being a faithful baseball fan, starting out years ago as a very good pitcher.
Funeral services for the Rev. Thornton will be held at 2 pm. Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at Friendship Baptist Church in Cleveland with the Rev. Joey Pritchett and the Rev. Chip King officiating. Burial will follow in Gateway Memory Park in Cleveland with full military honors by the Georgia National Guard Military Honors Program.

The family will receive friends at Alexander Funeral Home, 2721 Highway 129 South, Cleveland, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5.

To send online condolences, visit www.alexander-funeral.com.
Alexander Funeral Home of Cleveland, (706) 865-1500, is in charge of arrangements.