ROADRUNNER FINAL FLIGHT

HIGH FLIGHT

by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, sunward-silvered wings. Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun split clouds. And done a hundred things you have not dreamed of. Wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hov'ering there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delerious, burning blue, I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace where never lark, or even eagle flew. And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God.

ROADRUNNER REMEMBRANCE
The names posted below commemorate Roadrunners who have made their final flight since our October 2001 reunion. Other deceased Roadrunners can be added to this commemorative upon request.

Click on name to view obituaries or bios where available

P.Crawford 1989 Donald Corzine 2002 Louis Schalk Carl Strahl 2003 Jim Goodman 2003 Bob Adrian 2003 Charles Hutching 2003 Larry Brooks 2003 Tom Teaford 2003 Billy Pryor 2003 Pat Gugin 2003 Dick Miller 2003 Mele Vojvodich 2003 Darl McCullough 2004 Norm Nelson 2003 Kent Baylor 2003 Doug Nelson 2005 Lloyd Wittlake 2005 Hank Meierdierck 2006 Laura Simon 2006 Jane Collins 2006 Ray Schrecengost 2006 Jerry Ransdell 2006 Velma Weiss 2006 Jeanine Knutson 2006 Tom Losh 2006 Ed Schlesinger 2006 Louis Wright 2006 Howard Coble 2007 Pete Franzen 2007 Dick Estey 2007 Kattenbert 2007 B. Andersen 2007 Tom Bolich 2007 Jack Ledford 2007 O.B. Harnage 2008 Dick Roussell 2008 Jim Cooney 2008 Allen Messer 2008 Kenneth Wood 2008 Vern Henderson 2006 James Casteel 2009 John Shinn 2009 Sherill Darlington 2009 Torrey Larsen 2010 Bobby Luker 2010 Clarence White 2010 Burton Barrett 2010 Joe Ruseckus 2010 James W. Calhoun 2010 Trader 2010 Lou Garvin 2010 Hack Mixon 2010 Jack Thornton 2010

Obituaries are posted at the individual links above.

Jack R. Thornton died April 11. He was 89. Jack was born March 6, 1921 in Dennison, Texas to Josephine and Rembert Thornton. A memorial service with military honors was held at 11 a.m., April 23 at Hooper & Weaver Mortuary, 459 Hollow Way, Nevada City. Jack graduated from Dennison High School in 1939, after which he attended college at Texas A&M for two years, before enlisting in the U. S. Air Force on Nov. 3, 1943. He received stateside flight training and departed for battle in World War II in Europe in July of 1944. While stationed in England, he successfully completed 35 bombing missions piloting a B-17 Flying Fortress. Nearing the war's end, he was assigned to fly numerous missions in conjunction with the Berlin Air Lift. He returned to the United States in March 1945. While continuing his military career, he met the love of his life Alice Wagner and they married on July 7, 1951 at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento. In 1961, Jack took an assignment at Groom Lake also known as Area 51 in Nevada where he was involved in the development of the A-12 Program. He moved with the SR-71 Program to Beale Air Force Base in 1964 where he completed his military career in 1972, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after 31 years of service. Jack retired in Nevada City and went to work at Hills Flat Lumber and later at SPD in the hardware department where he retired after 10 years. Jack was an avid golfer and an active Nevada County Country Club member. Jack is survived by his wife of 58 years, his daughter and son-in-law, Terri and John Casci of Rough and Ready; son, Paul Thornton of Mt Shasta; grandchildren Shannon Casci, Shaun Hansen, Jason Cobb, Sara Thornton and Anna Thornton. Jack is predeceased by his daughter Jill Cobb. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Alzheimer Aid Society of Northern California, PO Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812.