Roy Lloyd Thornton's Obituary
Roy Lloyd Thornton, 84, passed away on March 15, 2025 at his home in Palm Coast, FL with his wife and son at his side. He is at home with his savior Jesus Christ after an extended illness.
Roy was born on Feb 3, 1941 in Atlanta, GA, the only child of Hannah Kate Dowis and Lloyd Roy Thornton. He was raised in the aftermath of World War II by his mother in the Pharr Road-Buckhead area of Atlanta with his grandmother and aunts instrumental in his Christian upbringing. This period after the war had a profound impact on the rest of his life. He later referred to his elders as part of 'the greatest generation.' His mother remarried Curtis Davis in 1955 and the family relocated to Decatur where he graduated from Avondale High School in 1959. As a young man, he excelled in baseball and later went on to play in the Army reserves. Roy studied at Young Harris College and later graduated from Georgia State University in Atlanta with a degree in business. After several years working at Larkin Coils and Caterpillar Tractor in Atlanta, he started his own series of businesses brokering heavy machinery equipment. Roy married Mary Ann Gaba in 1965 and later had two sons Todd and Brett. The family lived in Dunwoody, GA where Roy was active in the community and coached youth sports for many years. He was an avid golfer and cherished the time he spent playing with his beloved father-in-law, William.
Later in life, Roy and Mary Ann relocated to Palm Coast where he was close to his son's family, spending quality time with his grandchildren. Roy was active in the First Baptist Church and helped birth the First Baptist Christian Academy. Roy continued his passion for golf playing at Hammock Dunes, often participating in various tournaments. One of his greatest joys was seeing the Georgia Bulldogs win back to back titles in 2022-2023 after a 40 year drought.
Roy is survived by his wife Mary Ann Thornton of Palm Coast, son William Todd Thornton (Carrie) and two grandsons Alexander Christian Thornton and Zachary Davis Thornton, all of Saint Augustine, FL. He is preceded in death by a son Brett Tyler Thornton, mother Kate Davis, step-father Curtis Davis, and his father and mother-in-law William and Marian Gaba.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday March 22 at First Baptist Church of Palm Coast. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to First Baptist Christian Academy, 6050 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast FL, 32137.
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