DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. and MILFORD – Mel Thornton, 76, husband of Sunny Pickett Thornton, died March 6, 2004, at a Daytona, Fla. hospital after a brief illness. He was born in Orono, the son of Arthur M. Thornton and Ella Wahl Thornton Mel was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and a Maine State Game Warden. He founded Thornton’s Sport Shop where he pioneered snowmobiling in Maine. Mel had numerous other businesses in Maine and Florida. He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Sunny; one son, Thegen and his wife, Tammy; one daughter, Kim and her husband, Carlos; three grandchildren, Kim’s sons, Jason and Reggie, and Thegen’s daughter, Emily; one sister, Virginia Thornton McCarthy and her husband, John; one sister-in-law, Gloria Thornton; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Mel was predeceased by his brother, Thomas; and two sisters, Audrey and Frances. Donations in Mel’s memory may be made to the Maine’s Youth Fish & Game Association, care of William Osborne, P.O. Box 337, Stillwater, ME 04489-0337.
ARTHUR ‘MEL’ THORNTON
