John Q. Thornbury Jr.

John Quentin Thornbury, Jr. died early Monday, May 25, 2015, at the Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin, Georgia. He was 66. Known as "Jake" by his family and friends, he worked at the farm in Georgia that he loved, along with the owners, whom he considered as close as family. He leaves behind two children: a son, Chase, and a daughter, Anna, who reside in Virginia. He is also survived by his step-mother, Georgie Thornbury, sisters, Brownie Watkins and Joy Hinkle, and brothers, Tom and Jeff Thornbury, along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. Jake was an extraordinary athlete. A swimmer throughout high school, it was not unusual for him to make 5-mile open-water competitions. As a baseball player, he taught himself to switch from right to left-hander, so that he could have more reach in playing first base. He was a self-taught guitarist, and his nieces and nephews remember his patience in teaching them, as young children, to sing "All Things Bright and Beautiful" for their parents one year at Thanksgiving. He was a Marine, and proud to be one of the Corps. His life was full of adventure and he never seemed comfortable to be settled in one place. His children, Chase and Anna, to honor his wishes, will convey some of his ashes to the farm in Georgia, and some will be interred at Sunnyside Farm in Paris, Kentucky. A memorial will be held at Brannen-NeSmith Funeral Home in Unadilla Saturday, May 30th, at 4:00 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Brannen-NeSmith Funeral Home of Unadilla has charge of arrangements.