Melvin Aubrey Thornton

Middleton - Melvin Aubrey Thornton chose Worker's Day, May 1, 2009 to finish his work in this world and move on to the next.   He was a proud member, past president, and friend to International Typographical Union Local 106 for more than 60 years, working most of them at Madison Newspapers Inc. and finishing his career as a shop foreman with the Madison Press Connection.  He has been retired since the early 1980s tending his rabbits, flying squirrels, walnuts, vegetable and beautiful flower gardens, hosting card parties, and grooming the family croquet course. The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are always one of Mel's favorite times of the year and after the Bruins moved on to the second round, he moved to a different spot to watch the semi finals, but always from a blue liner's perspective from his younger playing days. Mel was born July 30, 1920 in Ward Hill, Bradford, Massachusetts to Justin Edward and Harriet May (Pillsbury) Thornton.  After finishing printing school and getting his union working card he joined the Army Air Corps in 1942, serving in a number of places and playing baseball in most of them before finishing WWII hunting and fishing in Alaska as a radar technician. One of the stops in Mel's army career was Truax Field in Madison where he met Betty Ann Coyne and after corresponding throughout the rest of his time in the service, he moved to Madison to marry her on September 7, 1946.  After the family outgrew the home shared with Betty's parents, John and Mary Ellen ( Richardson) Coyne, they moved the family to Middleton in 1955 where he has lived since.  Betty Ann preceded him in death in 2002.  Mel was a long time member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Middleton. Mel planned to the smallest detail the annual family fishing trips until a few years ago, keeping score each time to see who got the daily quarters for first, most, best, and last. Mel's passion was baseball and his many stories somehow always revolved around the games.  He played and player coached many teams and shared those teams with some of his children as they grew up.  Many an area softballer has learned the subtleties of the game from Mel.  He celebrated his 80th birthday on the field with players a quarter his age and almost beat out a controversial sliding double in that game.  He lived to hang two World Championship banners from his beloved Boston Red Sox in his living room.  For Mel, now there is no more need to ""wait til next year"". The annual Thornton Croquet Tournament will honor Mel on July 25, 2009. Mel is survived by his nine children, Phil (Kim Ganser), Paul, Don (Carol), Terry (Laure), Ted (Susan Grimes), Mary, Pat (Bill) Grove, Bob (Lauren), and Barb (Mike) Blanda.  Mel's grandchildren are: Matt Thornton, Melissa (Matt Wheeler) Thornton, Evelyn (David) Gust, Amy (Josh) Andreas, Hannah (Luke) Dreckman, Grace Thornton, Erin (Noah Lehman) Thornton, Ryan Thornton, Josh ( Melissa Stream) Grimes, Jessica Thornton, Sean Thornton, Cassie Nyleen, Bob Nyleen Jr., Dan Nyleen, Joe (Heather Lindner) Thornton, Caate Thornton, Justin (Kathryn Reemer) Thornton, and Jonathan Thornton.  He leaves great-grandchildren Kassundra, Joey, Oceona, Dominik, John, Brianna, Daphne, and Tyson.  He was preceded in death by his grandchildren Heath and Paul. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 7, 2009, at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 6021 Univeristy Ave. with Msgr. Douglas Dushack presiding. A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 5:00 to 7:00 PM concluding with a short prayer service. Visitation will also be on Thursday starting 10 a.m. Hawiian attire is optional for all events.  A private family burial service will be held at a later date with internment in Resurrection Cemetery. Special thanks to Paul as caregiver and to Terry for anchoring the family homestead during Mel's final days. Memorial donations may be made to the William S. Middleton VA Hospital Hospice program.