Avis de décès de Richard-Joseph Thornton

THORNTON, RICHARD (Dick) JOSEPH, passed away on January 21, 2015, in Aventura, Florida, at the age of 92. Dick was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, the only child of Maurice Emerson Thornton and Helene Biederman Thornton. He attended high school at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia, and Hollywood, Florida. After graduation, he enrolled at Indiana University where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He enrolled in the Officer Candidate School at Indiana University and, in 1944, was called to serve his country during WWII. While in college, he met the love of his life, Jean Thompson. Before shipping off to the Pacific, he and Jean were married in Rensselaer, Indiana, on Christmas Day 1944. While in the infantry, he served as a second lieutenant and deployed with forces to Okinawa. After the war, he was promoted to captain and participated in the JAG Corps during the US occupation of Japan. After his military service, Dick and Jean moved to Miami, where he enrolled in the School of Law at the University of Miami. After graduating in 1948, he began a long and respected career as a trial attorney, spending the first 33 years of his career at the firm of Walton Lantaff. In 1981, he co-founded the law firm of Thornton, David & Murray, a firm that continues to this day under the name Thornton, Davis & Fein. Dick was considered a legend in the practice of aviation law where he was recognized internationally for his skilled representation of airlines and aircraft manufacturers. He was lead counsel representing Eastern Airlines after the tragic crash of Flight 401 in the Everglades in December of 1972. Dick's career made him innumerable friends as he was admired for his tenacity, decency, and honesty by both clients and adversaries alike. Dick was an avid golfer having played to a scratch handicap and achieving the feat of having "shot his age" on numerous occasions. He accumulated 5 holes-in-one in his golfing career. He and Jean played courses throughout the world, but felt most at home on the links of the Miami Shores Country Club where they won numerous tournaments and established lifelong friends. Dick's other great passion was bridge and he was an accomplished player, achieving the coveted Life Master award. He was a very active player until shortly before his death. His love for the game enabled him to make new acquaintances and kept his brilliant mind keen even into his 90s. Dick was predeceased by his wife, Jean, who passed away on July 5, 1994, just short of their 50th wedding anniversary. He would miss her and her engaging smile and personality for the rest of his life. Dick is survived by two grateful children who cherished him and will miss him immensely: daughter, Charlotte Julian of Orlando; and son, J. Thompson "Tom" Thornton of Coral Gables, whose wife Julie, Dick loved as his own. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Richard Jae Julian, Ryan Patrick Thornton, and Clayton Wickliffe Thornton. Dick was one of the great gentlemen of our time. Everyone who met him was impressed by his graciousness and generous spirit. He will be remembered by those who knew him as a great friend and a wonderful and loving husband and father. His family will remember him in a private family service.