Obituary for Keith J. Thornton
Keith James Thornton was born in Didsbury, Alberta on January 24, 1959. His mother said that it was a lovely mild day with water running in the streets.
He grew up on the family farm at Westerdale. He attended school in Olds, Alberta, graduating in 1977 with the nickname "Bush" due to his wavy big hair. He was an intelligent man and a student of life with an interest in economics and law. Like his father, he was a gifted skater. He had an instinctive way in which he just seemed to know which edge to be on. Once in Calgary, goofing around on an outdoor rink with some kids, one inquired if he played in the NHL. But injury shortened any attempt at hockey stardom! [with humour] Also, as a midget doing line rushes, they messed up their rush, so he fired the puck at the net and turned back to center ice. When he got there his teammate told him to turn around and look. His shot had hit the crossbar and deflected onto the back of the goaltender's head, knocking him out. Seeing the puck in the net, he quipped "at least I scored."
He also enjoyed playing ball: he started playing with older kids and ended up as one of the old guys on a men's fast pitch softball team. He coached Pony League kids for a couple of seasons as well and, in a pinch, filled in as an umpire. He was definitely the guy you wanted on your team as he always had your back. This was exemplified once in the playoffs against Innisfail. A brouhaha started and, in the melee, to protect our better players from ejection, he placed two of their players, who were much larger than he, in headlocks, one under each arm and wouldn't let go as he bobbed up and down like a marionette while they tried to dislodge him.
As a teen, Keith began his farming career working for neighbors, often riding a bicycle to work at Ed & Viv Finnigan's, Grant Moore's and Uncle Robert McDonald's. He assumed control of the family farm with his brother, Kerry, in 1982, seeing it expand from a half section 30 cow dairy to a two-section farm and 60 cows at closing of the dairy one year ago.
He also liked to innovate and design. He was calling for hopper bottom bins from the late 60's. He designed and oversaw the construction of a barn that, when the dairy closed, could have all the inner structures lifted from sockets allowing it to be converted to other uses. He would jokingly say that it could be used to store his planes when he got rich as the one end was one large bifold door. Keith also loved to go to Agri trade shows to see the latest in agricultural technology.
Keith was of a conservative nature and well understood the nature of the new economics and would often cite exactly where the adherents were taking us. This led him to become a fan of FOX News, but he didn't take all their commentators' views carte blanche without being confirmed by other sources or waiting for facts to come out. (He was not one to get ahead of his skis.)
He had a great sense of humour and enjoyed Calvin & Hobbs and Asterix & Obelix.
He grew up on the family farm at Westerdale. He attended school in Olds, Alberta, graduating in 1977 with the nickname "Bush" due to his wavy big hair. He was an intelligent man and a student of life with an interest in economics and law. Like his father, he was a gifted skater. He had an instinctive way in which he just seemed to know which edge to be on. Once in Calgary, goofing around on an outdoor rink with some kids, one inquired if he played in the NHL. But injury shortened any attempt at hockey stardom! [with humour] Also, as a midget doing line rushes, they messed up their rush, so he fired the puck at the net and turned back to center ice. When he got there his teammate told him to turn around and look. His shot had hit the crossbar and deflected onto the back of the goaltender's head, knocking him out. Seeing the puck in the net, he quipped "at least I scored."
He also enjoyed playing ball: he started playing with older kids and ended up as one of the old guys on a men's fast pitch softball team. He coached Pony League kids for a couple of seasons as well and, in a pinch, filled in as an umpire. He was definitely the guy you wanted on your team as he always had your back. This was exemplified once in the playoffs against Innisfail. A brouhaha started and, in the melee, to protect our better players from ejection, he placed two of their players, who were much larger than he, in headlocks, one under each arm and wouldn't let go as he bobbed up and down like a marionette while they tried to dislodge him.
As a teen, Keith began his farming career working for neighbors, often riding a bicycle to work at Ed & Viv Finnigan's, Grant Moore's and Uncle Robert McDonald's. He assumed control of the family farm with his brother, Kerry, in 1982, seeing it expand from a half section 30 cow dairy to a two-section farm and 60 cows at closing of the dairy one year ago.
He also liked to innovate and design. He was calling for hopper bottom bins from the late 60's. He designed and oversaw the construction of a barn that, when the dairy closed, could have all the inner structures lifted from sockets allowing it to be converted to other uses. He would jokingly say that it could be used to store his planes when he got rich as the one end was one large bifold door. Keith also loved to go to Agri trade shows to see the latest in agricultural technology.
Keith was of a conservative nature and well understood the nature of the new economics and would often cite exactly where the adherents were taking us. This led him to become a fan of FOX News, but he didn't take all their commentators' views carte blanche without being confirmed by other sources or waiting for facts to come out. (He was not one to get ahead of his skis.)
He had a great sense of humour and enjoyed Calvin & Hobbs and Asterix & Obelix.