Leroy Gibson Thornton

Leroy Thornton, age 85, of Tahlequah, OK went to be with the Lord on December 13, 2017 in Muskogee, OK. Funeral services have been planned for Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at 10:00am at the Tahlequah Armory Municipal Building, with Elder Clyde “Chip” Hinds and Elder Bud Ullrich officiating. Interment will follow at Sallisaw City Cemetery in Sallisaw, OK.

Pallbearers include David Taylor, Albert Guinn, Anthony Maher, Walter Maher, Calvin Ullrich, and Matt Taylor. Honorary pallbearers are all his nieces and nephews Dennis Thornton, Robert Thornton, William Thornton, Kenneth Thornton, Clarence Joy, Stefan Joy, Charles Lee Morris, Justin Morris, Wanda Callison, Sharon Ivy, Evelynn Clark, Marcinda Byers, and Donna Baker

Leroy entered this life on July 23, 1932 in Edmond, OK the son of Roy A. Thornton and Willie (Ellis) Thornton he was one of four children to bless his parents home having one brother James Albert Thornton and two sisters Rosalee Lenora Joy and Evelyn Alleen Wooten. Having grown up around Edmond and Sallisaw, Oklahoma, Leroy graduated from Sallisaw High School. Following graduation, Leroy went into military service in the Army. He did most of his military service in Korea, during the Korean Conflict. Not long after finishing his military service Leroy went to work at Griffins Foods Manufacturing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He worked at Griffins Foods for 38 years. Most of those years were spent in the syrup department as a machine operator. Sometimes he unloaded the tankers of corn syrup and cooked it into Griffins Syrup. But most of the time he operated the filler and capper machine.

Leroy was having to pay high rent in Muskogee for a sleeping room, so Elder Clyde Maher invited him to buy a mobile home and place it on his property, which offer he gladly accepted. That caused Leroy to adopt the Clyde Maher family as his own.

While he was working at Griffins he met Lucille Hinds and Margret Guinn, two of Clyde Maher’s daughters. They invited Leroy to church and he obliged. Elder Ross Johnston held a tent revival in Tahlequah, Oklahoma one summer. It was there that Leroy Thornton, Albert Guinn, David Taylor, Claudie Taylor, Chip Hinds and others accepted the free gift of God in Christ Jesus, were baptized in the Illinois River, and joined the Church of God (Seventh Day). Leroy was a faithful Church member for the rest of his life. He worked with the youth for 10 years, served on the local church board many years, and would sometimes lead services.

In 1991 Leroy became part of the Charter Board of Directors that formed the Bread of Life Food Pantry in Tahlequah. He served with the other Charter Board Members Lucille Hinds, Leo and Louise Taylor. The food pantry was a key part of who Leroy was. He picked up bread at Reasors Foods, sweetrolls at Bryants Donuts, met the delivery truck and delivered sacks of food to the needy.

Leroy was a very rich man. Even though he never married, he had a fine biological family, a wonderful Church family, and an adopted family in the Clyde Maher family. Leroy especially liked returning to Sallisaw to be with his brother and sisters and their children at family reunions. It was there that Leroy would be his orneriest. He would play games with all of them. Before too long we would begin playing jokes on his nieces and nephews, and they seemed to enjoy it very much. Leroy liked to swim, fish, go on picnics, and play cards with his family.

Leroy was active in agriculture by hauling hay and milking cows. He also cut firewood and barbecue wood. For years, four restaurants in Muskogee depended on Leroy to provide their hickory wood for their pit barbecues. If you have eaten Griffins Waffle or Pancake Syrup or had barbecue in Muskogee, Oklahoma before the year 2000, there is a real good chance you have eaten food in which Leroy was associated.

Most of all, Leroy was known as a peaceful person who got along well in the community, had a good name, and was always ready to lend a helping hand. He was quick to make a friend and was never known to intentionally hurt anyone. He will be greatly missed by us all.

Those that went before him include his parents, his siblings and three nieces and nephews, Roy Lee Joy Wilma Turner, and Richard Wooten.

Left to cherish his memory include Clyde “Chip” Hinds whom was considered a son to him, five nieces; Wanda Callison, Sharon Ivy, Evelynn Clark, Marcinda Byers, and Donna Baker, eight nephews; Dennis Thornton, Robert Thornton, William Thornton, Kenneth Thornton, Clarence Joy, Stefan Joy, Charles Lee Morris, and Justin Morris, as well as many other friends and loved ones.