Thornton was riding his 2006 Harley Davidson Electra Glide motorcycle when he struck a Toyota RAV4 SUV making a left turn into a parking lot in front of him. Thornton was wearing all Army-required personal protective gear, had a valid motorcycle license and completed the Army-approved Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. The SUV driver was charged with causing the crash.

Thornton was born Dec. 8, 1961 in Gallipolis, Ohio. He graduated from Gallia Academy High School and attended the University of Rio Grande. He began active duty service Jan. 1, 1990. His Army career spanned more than 18 years with tours in Belgium, Bosnia, Kuwait, Korea, Germany, Somalia and the Netherlands.

Thornton served as a flight medic with the 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment (SOAR). In Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), he was stationed at Camp Speicher. He redeployed from OIF in December 2005.

At Walter Reed, Thornton served as both a pediatric nurse in Ward 51 and the departmentís wardmaster for a number of years. He assumed new duties as an LPN course instructor four months ago.

ìHeís been wonderful,î said Lt. Col. Tammie Morton, Thorntonís senior supervisor. ìHe did an excellent job ó dedicated, hardworking. He had a very dry humor. He would deliver his lines with a straight poker face ó youíd have to really know him to tell he was joking.î

Thornton will probably best be remembered at Walter Reed for his work as a pediatric nurse. His former colleagues on Ward 51 reminisced about the nice, easy going guy that would do just about anything asked of him.

ìHe was very caring and attentive óthe kids loved him,î said Carol Bruch, head nurse on the pediatric ward. ìHe was a big man and when he held a little baby who was sick to feed them, he was so gentle.î

Bruch said Thorntonís lasting legacy will be the childrenís playground on the outdoor patio of fifth-floor pediatric unit. As wardmaster, he ensured the playground included a special surface to make it safer for their young patients and their families.

Lt. Col. Steven Spencer, chief of pediatrics for Ward 51, called Thornton thorough, competent and very professional. The pediatrician recalled, ìHe ensured that we had what we needed to take care of patients.î

As a nurse, Spencer said Thornton was very caring. ìHe took care of my kid [son Luke] multiple times. Thereís no one up here I trusted more.î Thorton added, ìHe was always at parade rest.î Another colleague chimed in, ìHe took care of his troops, alwaysóhe was STRAC [Strategic, Tactical and Ready for Action in Combat].î

Spec. Darcie Brown worked as a nurse with Thornton for more than a year and said he still routed paperwork and mediated for enlisted Soldiers on the ward even after he assumed new duties in nursing education.

ìAny problem we had, he had it taken care of in an hour. He squared away all of the enlisted Soldiers. He really took care of us,î said Brown.

ìIf there was ever a Soldier that always did the right thing, he was that Soldier,î said Stacee Springer, a Ward 51 social worker.

Spec. Steven Dean recalled, ìHe was very quiet. He didnít talk much but once you got him talkiní on helicoptersÖî

ìOr motorcycles,î added Gwendolyn Adams, a Ward 51 medical support assistant. Dean said Thornton flew as an Army pilot years ago and kept it up as a civilian pilot.

ìWe will miss him,î said Bruch.

Thornton was a member of the First Baptist Church in Gallipolis, Ohio, where funeral services were held Friday, May 2. He is survived by his parents, Clifford and Cora Margaret Thornton, a brother Eric Thornton, sister-in-law, Sarah, and nephew Kaden.