Obituary of Virgil J. Thornton, Jr.

Funeral services for Virgil J. Thornton, Jr. will be held 1 PM Monday, December 9, 2019 at Olla Pentecostal Church, Olla, LA with Rev. Jonathan Crist, Rev. Robert Thornton, Rev. Scott Wilson and Rev. Gregory Nichols officiating. Interment will follow at Silver Cross Cemetery, Tallulah, LA under the direction of Riser and Son Funeral Home. The family will receive visitors at the church from 5 PM until 8 PM, Sunday, December 8, 2019.

Virgil J. Thornton, Jr., age 78 of Columbia, formerly of Tallulah, was born January 8, 1941 in Baton Rouge to the union of his parents, Virgil J. Thornton, Sr. and Jimmie Lou Townley Thornton and he passed from this life to his heavenly home on December 5, 2019 at the Northeast Louisiana War Veterans Home in Monroe after an extended illness. Junior, as he was known by friends and family, served his country proudly in the U. S. Air Force. He retired from Entergy where he was a meter reader/helper. He was an active member of Olla Pentecostal Church where he served as a board member. He was a major part of Praise Singing before his illness prevented him from participating. Junior was a mentor to young men. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 47 years, Alice Louise Littleton Thornton; his son, Richard Jay Thornton and his sister, Patricia Thornton McGaha.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Mildred Garner Thornton of Columbia; sons: Rev. Robert R. Thornton, Sr. (Loveta) of Tallulah, Dr. Michael A. Thornton, EDD (Kimberly) of College Station, TX; daughters: Cynthia R. Williams (Edwin) of Tallulah, Alicia Mechelle Thornton of Tallulah; step-children: Bryan Tucker (Trudy) of Summerville, Pamela Gayle Tucker of West Monroe, Curt Tucker of Columbia; sisters: Glenda Rawls (Joel) of Holly Ridge, Brenda Whittington (Dwayne) of Holly Ridge, Mary Elizabeth Fondren (William) of Tallulah; brother-in-law, Rev. Robert McGaha of Homer; twelve grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers will be Heath Rawls, Garren Whittington, Neal Rawls, Ryan Rawls, Tyler Rawls and Chad Rawls. Honorary pall bearers are Jordan Crist, Judah Crist, Wilburn LaRue and Ethan LaRue.