Extracted from The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)
Sunday, March 2, 2003

THORNTON, ERNST S. ERNIE

THORNTON, ERNST S. ERNIE A retired employee of Georgia-Pacific Paper Co. with more than 35 years as woodlands manager, he died at Lane Memorial Hospital, Zachary, at 3:50 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003. He was 79, a resident of Zachary and was born in Pollock in Winn Parish. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He was a 1950 graduate of LSU with a bachelors degree in forestry, and a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society. He graduated from Duke University in Durham, N.C., in 1951 with a masters degree in forestry. He was an active member and supporter of the LSU and Duke University alumni associations.

Visiting at Charlet Funeral Home Inc., Zachary, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Private family service in Port Hudson National Cemetery on Monday, conducted by the Rev. Kenny Laird. The family will receive friends at the home of his son, David, 1434 Lakewood, Zachary, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carmelite Cone Thornton; two sons, David Michael and wife Candy Powell Thornton and Earl Matthew and wife Angela McKowen Thornton, all of Zachary; a sister, Paula T. Spigener of Monroe; a brother, Mahlon E. Pete Thornton, LaMarque, Texas; and four grandchildren, Lee Thornton, Matt Thornton, Kathryn Thornton and Mike Thornton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elijah Mayfield and Paula Theresa Seemann Thornton.

Pallbearers will be Lee, Matt and Mike Thornton, Steve Enright, Gene Genevay, John DeMarche and Phil Gordy. He was a member of the board of directors of Louisiana Forestry Association. He had been an alderman and mayor of Bolton, N.C., a past president of Rotary International, Lake Waccamaw, N.C., chapter and a member of Woodmen of the World.

Special thanks to the nursing staff on first floor south at Lane Memorial Hospital, Dr. Kemp Amacker, Dr. Gerald P. Miletello, Dr. Kenneth Lo and the staff at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Friends desiring may make memorial donations to St. Vincent de Paul Society, 220 St. Vincent de Paul Place, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Love Fund, 4727 McHugh Dr., Zachary, LA 70791 or Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, 4950 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.