Jock Thornton

Jock Thornton, 85, a lifelong resident of Dobbs Ferry, passed away on January 1, 2015. Born in Yonkers, NY, he attended Dobbs Ferry Public Schools and graduated in 1947 from the Hill School in Pottstown, PA; attended Cornell University and received a BS from Columbia University, where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa; and in 1960 he received his LLB from the School of Law, Columbia University. Jock was the Vice-President and Counsel for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. and later became a partner in the law firm of McCormick and Thornton and was of Counsel to Ecker and Ecker. Jock was twice elected Village Justice of the Village of Dobbs Ferry, which his grandfather, Hugh A. Thornton, had also been the Dobbs Ferry Village Justice in the early 1900s. He was a former Trustee of the Dobbs Ferry Library and of the Dobbs Ferry Historical Society. Jock was the attorney for the Church of the Sacred Heart in Dobbs Ferry, as well as the attorney for and charter member of the Dobbs Ferry Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Jock was the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hudson Valley Day Care Center, now called Days of Wonder. He was the former Institutional Representative of the Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 24. Jock was the former Chairman of the Dobbs Ferry Non-Partisan Nominating Committee and former Treasurer of the Dobbs Ferry Home and School Association. He was also a former member of the Ardsley Country Club. Jock had a deep interest for the law and politics. He loved the Dobbs Ferry community and by proclamation of the Mayor, February 22, 2004 was declared "Jock Thornton Day" in Dobbs Ferry. Jock thoroughly enjoyed spending time at the beach and in the ocean, especially in South Hampton, NY. He was a devoted husband, loving father, adoring grandfather and will be greatly missed. Jock is survived by his wife Judith Bathon Thornton, sons Bruce of NYC, Jeffrey Kathleen McAllen of Lancaster, PA and Christopher Dorothy of Atlanta, GA. He is also survived by his grandsons Bradley and Gregory of Lancaster, PA and granddaughters Melissa and Amelia of Atlanta, GA. Jock was predeceased by his two wives Sharon Roth Thornton and Ellen O'Reilly Thornton. Mass of the Resurrection Thursday 9:30am Church of the Sacred Heart, Dobbs Ferry. Visiting Wednesday 2-4pm and 7-9pm at Edwards-Dowdle Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Dobbs Ferry Volunteer Ambulance Corps.