Ruffin D. Thornton, 81, of Fitzgerald, Georgia died Sunday, May 8, 2005 at Dorminy Medical Center, Fitzgerald, Georgia.
Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M. Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at the Paulk Funeral Home chapel, Fitzgerald, with Rev. Max Rogers officiating. Visitation will be held from 7 until 9, Tuesday evening at the funeral home.
Mr. Thornton was born May 14, 1923, in Pierce County, Georgia, to the late William E. and Cassie Turner Thornton. He lived in the community for the past twenty-five years and grew up in Blackshear, Georgia. Most of his working life he lived in Green Cove Springs, Florida, where he worked for Gustafson’s Dairy.
Mr. Thornton is survived by his wife: Frances G. Thornton of Fitzgerald; Children: James Russell Thornton of Corbin, KY, Patrick Thornton of Keystone Heights, FL, Robin Lowe of Corbin, KY, John Edward Thornton of Green Cove Springs, FL, Robert Dalton Thornton of Fruitland, FL, Christopher Shane Thornton of Bostwick, FL, Owen Monk, Jr., of Fitzgerald and James Edward Monk, Sr., of Ohio; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; sister: Ida Tucker of Fitzgerald. He was preceded in death by three children, four brothers and two sisters.