Mitch Thornhill

Mitchell Welton Thornhill – dedicated father, loving son, history buff, car aficionado, and full-time grump – passed away in his Hattiesburg home, surrounded by those he loved the most, on August 28, 2022 following a well-fought, 3.5 year battle with cancer.

Mitch is survived by his mother, Rivers; his wife of 33 years, Vicki; son, Mitcheal; daughters, Ardan and Kyrstan; sister, LeeAnne; brother, Glenn; and his wife’s zoo of animals both domestic & feral.

He’s preceded in death by his father, Charles Glenn Thornhill – known to all as “Bill.”

Born on February 27, 1969 in Marion County, Mitch rounded out Rivers & Bill’s small brood, following LeeAnne (who considered him her first baby) and Glenn.

As the youngest of three, Mitch spent his early life as his mother’s shadow, a quintessential mama’s boy. Years before Bill’s sarcasm gene would kick in, Mitch was a gentle & attentive child. He never had a popsicle that he didn’t share with Prince, his white German Shepherd – the first traces of his ceaseless generosity.

In 1988, he graduated from West Marion High School, but he took more than a diploma from that experience. Insert Vicki Lynn Flynt. Mitch’s red El Camino must’ve really revved her engine because the two got together in 1986 and never looked back. The two made it official on March 17, 1989, marrying in the home he grew up in.

Soon after came the next great loves of his life: his children. Mitcheal came first in 1990. Vicki & Mitch would find themselves kids raising kids, but by the time Ardan (1993) and Kyrstan (1996) came around, they got the hang of it – mostly.

Mitch served in the Marines, graduating from MCB Camp Lejeune on October 17, 1988. The journey sent him to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War – but the arrival of children (and his general inability to be bossed around) called Mitch back to Mississippi.

And so it came to be that Mitch took a job in the oil field, first working as a tool hand for TransOcean. His quick wit would serve him well in the field, propelling him up the rungs to fishing tool supervisor, a position he held with pride until his diagnosis in 2019. The jobs took him long & far, but the moment each ended, he’d race the 6, 12, 18 hours home to reunite with his kids.

To know Mitch is to know the man passed no judgment – unless, of course, you’re the unfortunate soul who doesn’t understand the left lane of the road is strictly for passing or that beans do not belong in chili. He “didn’t care if you were purple,” so long as you knew those rules, you found a friend in Mitch. Yes, even if you were a Yankee.

That love for his fellow man came from a combination of his devotion to God’s teachings & the humble joys of rural Mississippi. His penchant for simplicity will forever remain a cornerstone of his personality. He valued most the sounds of frogs chirping below a dark night sky – the solitude & peace offered by the idyllic countryside of his childhood.

The second most valued in Mitch’s heart was anything that could reach 60mph in three-point-five.

The third was Ronald Reagan.

Because he lived one foot in front of the other, one day at a time, Mitch didn’t think much of his death – even with his prognosis. In fact, the only sentiment around death he passed on was that echoed from his father: “If you put me in an open casket, make sure you place me face down so when the people who only show up for the catering arrive, they can kiss my…” You can fill in the rest.

Therefore, the family instead chose a simple service on Friday, September 2 at Oak Grove Apostolic Church, 1069 MS-587 in Morgantown – just around the corner from his mama’s house. Service will begin around 11 a.m.

Brother Burl Livingston, who quickly became a great friend of Mitch’s and the family’s in these hard months, will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. The family also requests that you urge your loved ones to get a colonoscopy. Colorectal cancer is one of the few preventable cancers. Timely screenings can help doctors remove small growths before they develop into cancer. Insurance now covers colonoscopies as a preventative screening beginning at age 45.

And finally, the best way to honor Mitch’s life now and forever is to never wait to love fully and let others love you. Nothing else under heaven matters. Besides learning that the left lane is for passing only.