William David Thornton Sr.'s Obituary
William “David” Thornton, Sr., more affectionately known to family and friends as Pickie or Pops, was one of nine children born to Charles Edgar Thornton and Mozelle Bowles Thornton on Sunday, February 25, 1945, in Loudoun County, Virginia.
David received his primary education at Leesburg Elementary School in Leesburg, Virginia and in the one-room Colored School for African Americans in Ashburn, Virginia. He later married the love of his life, Doris Roberta Greene “Tootsie”, on November 9, 1962, in Leesburg, Virginia. Of this union five children were born, and they happily raised their family in Ashburn, Virginia. He was truly a devoted family man and that love and devotion extended outside of his immediate family.
Over the years, beginning at an early age, David maintained several heavy equipment operator positions at companies around the DC metropolitan area, including CW Wright, Ivey Smith and in 2011 retiring from Danella Construction Company.
Pickie was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan and was proud of it! He was an outdoorsman who loved fishing and taking family fishing trips. He also loved watching nature, westerns and comedy shows. Steve Harvey was one of his favorite comedians (as the family comedian, Steve didn’t have anything on Pickie’s humor). Pickie enjoyed teaching others the rules of card playing especially showing people how to “turn a card.”
William “David” Thornton Sr. peacefully transitioned to eternal life on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the Loudoun Hospital, Lansdowne, Virginia. He will truly be missed but we know he is resting with God.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Edgar Thornton and Mozelle Bowles Thornton; one son, William David Thornton, Jr.; one grandson, Nicholas Thornton; three brothers; Chester, Lester and Charles (Boggie) Thornton; and two sisters; Alice Lucas and Jeanette Menefee.
Left to cherish many memories are, his loving and dedicated wife of 63 years, Doris Roberta Thornton “Tootsie” of Sterling, Virginia; three sons, Larry of Alexandria, Virginia, Darryl (Lisa) of Centreville, Virginia and Charles Thornton of Sterling, Virginia; one daughter, Pamela Thornton of Deltona Florida; 10 grandchildren, Larry Donnell (LD) Thompson, Isaac, Jessica, Zachary, Antonio, Darryl, Jr., and Tiera Thornton, Charles and Chelsea Robinson, Brandon and Mckayla Twyman; 16 great grandchildren, Kaylanie Thornton, Braysen Conway; Josiah, Jeremiah, Jadah and Joel Thornton; Aria, Amori and Tru Layne; Davion and Domani Robinson; Melody Settles, Xavier Mason; Zaylen and Zora Thornton, Maylana Twyman; two brothers, James "Bunny" Thornton (Marguerite) of Leesburg, Virginia and Samuel “Sammy” Thornton (Stella) of Leesburg Virginia and one sister, Mozelle "Sugar" Payton of Martinsburg, West Virginia; brothers-in-law, Curtis Sheppard and James “Brother” Sheppard; sisters-in-law, Mary Alice Thornton, Wilma “Sister” Bentley, and Dorothy “Dottie” Wilkerson, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Viewing, 10 a.m. until time of Service, noon,
Thursday, February 12, 2026,
Loudoun Funeral Chapel
158 Catoctin Circle, SE
Leesburg, Virginia 20175
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