…retired mechanical engineer; 88
TEWKSBURY - Mr. John Thornhill Jr, age 88, died peacefully at Lowell General Hospital Thursday evening, March 8. He was the husband of Margaret “Peggy” (Marx) Thornhill, with whom he had celebrated a sixty-second wedding anniversary this past August.
John was born in New Bedford in October, 1929, one of two sons of John and Doris (Bithell) Thornhill, and raised in New Bedford. He had lived in Tewksbury since 1962. John enlisted into the U.S. Air Force in 1950, and served for two years in Japan during the Korean War. During his enlistment, he met his future wife Peggy, who was also serving in the U.S.A.F. He was honorably discharged in 1954, and went on to earn a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked at R.C.A. and later at G.E. in their Aero Space, and later Defense Programs.
Besides his wife, he leaves two sons, Mike and his wife Lisa Thornhill of Sagamore Beach, Cape Cod, Scott and his wife Andrea Thornhill of Nashua, NH; two daughters, Donna and her husband Frank Pagliccia of Newton, NH, and Kerry and her husband Richard Beauchesne of Litchfield, NH, a son-in-law, Ronald Beauchesne of Londonderry, NH, who was husband of his late daughter, Sharon Beauchesne; fifteen grandchildren, including the late James Thornhill; eleven great grandchildren, with three more “on the way;” two sisters-in-law, Judy Thornhill of New Bedford, who was wife of his late brother, Carl Thornhill; Jackie Stenson of WI; and many nieces and nephews.
At his request funeral services were private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 or see www.stjude.org. Arrangements were through the Tewksbury Funeral Home. Visit www.tewksburyfuneralhome.com
At his request funeral services were private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 or see www.stjude.org. Arrangements were through the Tewksbury Funeral Home. Visit www.tewksburyfuneralhome.com