Harry 'Bud' Alpheus Thornton

Harry Alpheus 'Bud' Thornton WAPELLO, Iowa - Harry Alpheus 'Bud' Thornton, 93, of Wapello, died Monday, January 12, 2009, at the Unity Hospital. Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2009, at the Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home, Wapello. Rev. Dan Dickey will officiate. Burial will be at the Grandview Cemetery, Grandview. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2009, at the funeral home where family will meet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A memorial fund has been established. 'Bud' was born on December 25, 1915, in Oakville, the son of Harry B. and Margaret Odell Thornton. He married Geraldine B. Sabin on October 8, 1938, in Muscatine. She preceded him in death on May 3, 1977. He later married Maxine. He graduated from Oakville High School. Bud continued to better himself by taking correspondence courses. He was an electrician and had also worked in maintenance for U.S. Borax in Burlington where he retired. He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Wapello. He had always enjoyed the outdoors. He hunted and enjoyed his dogs along with many stray animals. He was always willing to help others in need. Music...[more]

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s his passion as he played the piano and a great variety of string instruments. He played in many bands including Odessa Ramblers, Starlighters, and Grandma's Kitchen Band. He played at numerous nursing homes and for several years, he played at the Oakville Restaurant on Friday nights. He also played for the annual Wapello Community Christmas Dinner. He is survived by his four daughters, LaVonee Powell and husband, Chet, of Hampton, Illinois, Donna Dickey and husband, Harry, of Wapello, Judy Wykert and husband, Tom, of Oakville, and Patricia Verville and husband, Gary, of Rock Island, Illinois; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Kenneth Thornton of Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Geraldine; his second wife, Maxine; an infant daughter, Harriet; a sister, Muriel Westfall; and three brothers, Harold, Dean, and Brooks Thornton.