Richard Underhill Thornton
Richard Underhill Thornton, 75, of Yarmouth Port, MA died peacefully at Cape Cod Hospital on December 18. Richard was born in Boston on February 4, 1938 to the late Dr. John Thornton and Henrietta Underhill Thornton. He grew up in Milton, MA where he attended Milton High School. He was a 1961 graduate of the University of Massachusetts where he excelled at football. After college Richard was a paper executive for many years with Diamond International, Spencer Press, CFK and he co-owned Pleasant Valley Paper Mills. Richard was an avid golfer who won many club championships at his club, the Milton Hoosic Club, as well as other Boston area country clubs. He was also an avid skier and a fantastic Dad. Richard was the devoted husband of the late Judith Williams Thornton and proud father of Kristin Thornton of Redding, CT and Stephanie Thornton Moore Girling of Westport, CT and William H. Thornton of Westport, CT. He is also survived by his son-in-law, Stephen Girling, and three grandchildren Elizabeth, Savannah and Spencer Girling as well as his sister and brother in law Gail and Alan Shea of Easton, MA. He was pre-deceased by his brothers John J. Thornton and William H. Thornton. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary of the Hills Church, Milton, Mon., Dec. 23, at 10 o’clock. Visiting Hours in the Dolan Funeral Home, 460 Granite Ave., EAST MILTON SQUARE, Sun, 2- 5 pm. Interment Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree. If desired contributions in Richard’s memory may be sent to either Milton Animal League, 181 Governor Stoughton Lane Milton, MA 02186 or the Cape Cod Hospital, CCHC Foundation, P.O. Box 370, Hyannis, MA 02601
Guestbook Entries
This is a great obituary summing up a lot of my grandfather Richard, Let me tell you, he was the funniest guy I have ever known. He would laugh and tell us these crazy stories about my mom and her siblings. I remember one year on thanksgiving, he was on his way over and my younger sister Savannah, called him up on the phone as my mom was setting the table. They talked and talked and talked. Right before she handed the phone back to my mom, she said the funiest thing a four year old could say. She said; “Wait wait!! Grandpa Dick!! Do you have a weggie?” at the time, I was only six, so I didn’t know what the heck weggie meant. It just so happems that neither did she! In her mind it was just some hysterical made up word. I’ll never forget that one. Another thing that I will never forget was the last time I saw him. It was one of the most memorable moments in my life. Even with test tubes going up his nose, and being fed ice, he always had a funny thing to say. HE brughtened your day, because it made him feel better about himself. He made everyone around him as happy as possible, because it made him happy. That’s probably what i admired most about him. Besides his sense of humor that is. Rest In Peace Richard.