Robert Earl Thornton

ROBERT EARL THORNTON Florence, SC Robert Earl Thornton, 75, of Florence passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at a local healthcare facility. Mr. Thornton was born on September 12, 1936, in Florence County, SC, a son of the late Robert Josiah Thornton and Mattie Lucille Weatherford Thornton. He was a US Army Veteran and member of Southside Baptist Church and of the Pioneer Sunday Class.He was a Master Mason, a Past Master of Mecca Lodge #407, a Past Grand Steward of Grand Lodge of South Carolina, and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star #278. While employed with E. I DuPont De Nemours, he was also active in Magic City Plumbing Company becoming the owner/operator in 1974.He retired from Dupont after thirty-two years and continued to operate Magic City Plumbing until 2010. Mr. Thornton was predeceased by his parents and his sisters, Juanita T. Lewis and Lerline T. Nolan. Mr. Thornton is survived by his wife, Bonnie Thompson Thornton, of the home; his daughters, Melanie (Michael) Wyndham of Bonneau, SC and Marsha T. (Bob) Harper of Florence, SC; grandchildren, Christopher Gainey, Amanda Gainey, Chase Gainey, Madison Wyndham, Scarlett Davis, Benni Harper, and Jay Harper; and his sisters, Patricia Thornton and Roberta Whitaker. Funeral Services will be held 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at Southside Baptist Church directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at Florence Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. The family will receive friends 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Thursday at Southside Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to Southside Baptist Church Building Fund, 1356 Pineland Drive, Florence, SC 29501; McLeod Hospice House, P. O. Box 100551, Florence, SC 29502; or the Pee Dee Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, 702 South Coit Street, Florence, SC 29501. Please sign the online guest registry for Mr. Thornton in the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com