David Harold Thornton

Born on March 26, 1938, in Grant County, KY, David was the son of the late Harold and Beatrice Thornton. On September 6, 1957, he married Nancy Rebecca Reeves. They shared nearly 65 years of marriage before Nancy's passing on August 30, 2022.

David is survived by his son, Michael (Saundra) Thornton of Spring Hill, TN; daughters Jennifer (Ken) Lowry and Karen (Robert) Moore, both of Cary, NC; and four granddaughters: Meredith (Jay) Brocklebank of Spring Hill, TN; Ashley (Jordan) Carrera of Cary, NC; Andrea (Drew) Longinotti of Thompson's Station, TN; and Allison (Jay) Twiford of New Hill, NC. He was also blessed with two "granddaughters of the heart," Abigail (Dustin) James of Pecos, TX, and Brittany (Scott) Sullivan of York, SC.

David's legacy continues through his ten great-grandchildren: Ty, Charli, Emmalynn, and Lily Jo Brocklebank of Spring Hill, TN; Brooklyn and Milo Carrera of Cary, NC; Elias and Oliver Longinotti of Thompson's Station, TN; and Austin and Cameron Twiford of New Hill, NC. He is also survived by a "great-grandson of the heart," Dustin James III of Pecos, TX.

In addition, David is survived by Billie Jo Brown of Cary, NC, his cherished companion and beloved partner of the past three years, along with many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Thornton; his brother, John Thornton; and his sisters, Lillian Graham and Charlene Rogers.

A 1956 graduate of Holmes High School in Covington, Kentucky, David earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the University of Kentucky. He proudly served his country in the United States Army and enjoyed a distinguished career in information technology and operations management with General Electric, RCA, and the State of North Carolina, where he served as Director of Computer Operations. He retired in 1995.

David was a longtime member and former elder of the Cary Church of Christ. A devoted family man, he found great joy in spending time with loved ones and was known for his remarkable craftsmanship, practical skills, and willingness to help others. After moving to Cary in the early 1960s, he became actively involved in the community, including service with the Cary High School Band Parents organization. He produced video recordings of the Cary High School band and choral performances, and lovingly documented many weddings for family and friends. David was widely known for making incredible homemade ice cream for social events – especially strawberry banana!

In 1971, David portrayed Abraham Lincoln during the Town of Cary's Centennial Celebration, a role he thoroughly enjoyed. He enthusiastically supported NC State athletics and was a passionate fan of college basketball.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Cary Church of Christ, 6640 Tryon Road, Cary, NC 27518. The funeral service will immediately follow at 2:30 p.m.

Flowers are welcome. Those wishing to honor David's memory through a charitable contribution may consider the Make-A-Wish Foundation (wish.org) or Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, Inc. (disasterreliefeffort.org). A family graveside service for internment of both David and Nancy’s cremains will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Cary.