Yolo-Stanislaus County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....THORNBURG, Johnnie C.  October 6 2002
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Peggy B. Perazzo pbperazzo@comcast.net August 4, 2004, 12:53 am

"The Davis Enterprise," Thursday, October 10, 2002
Johnnie C. Thornburg

Johnnie C. Thornburg died at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento on Oct. 6,
2002. He was 83 years old.

He was born on July 7, 1919, in Turlock to Glen and Lula (Borden) Thornburg.

At an early age, he worked on the family farm and was an all-around athlete in
high school, participating in track and field. He broke several records at
Turlock High School. He was a pitcher on the school baseball team, and played
basketball and football, alternating between fullback and blocking halfback. He
was nicknamed "Accordion Boy" because his girlfriend, who would later become his
wife, played the accordion.

In 1940, he went to UC Davis and was the first freshman to play varsity
football. In the spring of 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Air Force and
served in the Pacific Theater as a staff sergeant and mechanic crew chief for
P38s and P51s. In 1945, he was included in the first fighter group to land on
Iwo Jima.

In October 1946, after serving 42 months, he came home to Woodland, where his
family had relocated. In Woodland he worked in the family farm and dairy
business with his father and brother before retiring to become a butcher. He
worked as a butcher until 1982.

Thornburg joined the Turlock Masonic Lodge in the 1950s and later became a
member of Ben Ali, participating in the clown unit, where he was known as
"Blue." He was also a member of the Bedouins RV Group and enjoyed traveling
several weeks a year.

He was very active in his children's sports as they went through school. He
coached his two boys in baseball and taught his daughter how to play the game.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Merle Thornburg; and
great-granddaughter, Cameron Reese Kinser.

He is survived by his wife, Urma-Gayl "Bobbi" Thornburg of Woodland; children,
Michal Thornburg of Woodland, Greg Thornburg and his wife Phyllis of Veronia,
Ore., and Glenda Zafra and her husband Richard of Woodland; sister, La Verne
Stage of Fresno; grandchildren, Regina Valdez and Jessica Thornburg of Veronia,
Ore., Christopher Kinser and his wife Tara of Layton, Utah, Timothy Kinser and
his wife Angel of Woodland and Daniel Zafra of Woodland. He was also the
great-grandfather of eight.

Friends are invited to attend a graveside service Friday at 11 a.m. at Monument
Hill Memorial Park in Woodland.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Children's Hospital. McNary's
Chapel is assisting the family with the arrangements.


Additional Comments:
Submitted with the permission of the "The Davis Enterprise," 315 G Street,
Davis, CA 95616.

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