Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries



William Merle Thornton

Memorial services for Merle Thornton were held Thursday, April 24, at 2 p.m. at 
Eighth Avenue Baptist Church in Teague. Brother Steve Cowart officiated.

Visitation was held prior to the service Thursday with the family present from 
1 p.m. until 2 p.m. at the Eighth Avenue Church.

 William Merle Thornton, 72, of Teague, passed away with family members at his 
 side Tuesday morning, April 22, 2014. Merle was born May 16, 1941 in New Hope, 
 the second of five children born to Macon and Lucille Thornton.
 
He graduated from Mexia High School in 1959 and attended Navarro Junior College 
in Corsicana. He was a member of the Eighth Avenue Baptist Church in Teague. 
Merle was employed by Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for 37 years.

Merle was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by wife, Linda; sons, Scott and Bryan Thornton; daughter, Leslie 
and her husband David Butler; granddaughters, Elizabeth and Alyssa Butler; 
grandsons, Tyler Thornton and Macon Thornton; special grandchildren, Blaine and 
Addie Black; four sisters, Janice Fisher, Betty Tand, Bonnie “B.J.” Mayeur and 
Carolyn Henry; sister-in-law, Suzanne Thomas; brothers-in-law, Dan, Jerry and 
Mike Morris and wife Sherry, Jackie Fisher, Ken Tand and R.L. Mayeur; aunt, 
Helen Sturges; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.