Thornton, Richard L.

Richard L. Thornton, 59, of Marquette, died Friday, July 24, 2009, at Memorial Hospital, Prairie du Chien, Wis., following a long illness. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday at United Methodist Church in McGregor, with burial at a later date. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Thornburg-Hanson Funeral Home in McGregor and one hour before services at the church.

He is survived by special friend, Karen Tesar; a daughter, Laurie Schroeder (Stan Heinrich) of Marquette; granddaughter, Amanda Cummins (Derek Crandall), and her mother, Kathy Cummins of Milbank, S.D.; grandson, Noah (Amanda) Heinrich of Protivin; granddaughter, Kelsey Heinrick of Cresco; brother, Milo (Janice) Thornton of Eastman, Wis.; a sister, Bev Martin of West Union; and nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.

Richard Leroy was born Dec. 16, 1949, to Leroy and Betty Jean (Broszeit) Thornton at Waukon, Iowa. He attended Mar-Mac School and later Wisconsin Technical College in La Crosse, Wis. He worked as a farm laborer for area farmers. He then worked at the Chrysler plant in Belvidere, Ill., for several years and for the past 30 plus years he had been with Gencor, Bituma-Star in Marquette. He married Debra Prouty on Jan. 31, 1976, in McGregor. Dick was involved in the Marquette Fire Department and also served as assistant chief. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, cutting wood, gardening, and in his younger years as a pit crew helper in stock car racing.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Cory on March 20, 1993; his wife, Debra, on Dec. 3, 2004; a great-grandson, Jackson Alan Jon Crandall on Nov. 2, 2006; and brother-in-law, Archie Martin on July 11, 2009.