Cary Gordon Thornhill, Sr.

C. Gordon Thornhill, 81, of Thorn Ridge Farm, Boston Virginia passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 10, 2013.

Gordon is survived by his wife of sixty-one years, Sallie Frances Coates Thornhill and their three children, Cary Gordon Thornhill, Jr. C.G., Melanie Thornhill Kopjanski, and David Allen Thornhill and his wife Birgitt. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren: Elaina Thornhill, Lauren Thornhill Dickson and her husband Michael, Karl David Thornhill and his wife Beth Ann, Brittany Thornhill, Hanna Kopjanski, Maddie Kopjanski, Andrew Kopjanski, and Benjamin Gordon Kopjanski. Gordon is also survived by his two brothers, Robert Thornhill and his wife Karen of Boston, David Winfrey Thornhill and his wife Heidi of Culpeper, and his sister, Elma Morrison of Winchester, VA.

Gordon was preceded in death by his parents, Cary G. and Dicy Weaver Thornhill and a sister, Jean Grayson all of Thorn Ridge Farm.

Gordon had a long history in Rappahannock County as the Manager of the Rappahannock Farmers Co-op with forty years of service. He spent countless hours sharing his knowledge of feed, seed, fertilizer, planting crops, orchard sprays, and beef cows. He never met a stranger and was always willing to tell a good story. In his younger years he organized and played slow pitch softball. He also loved playing the guitar and singing gospel and bluegrass songs.

Prior to working for the Co-op, he worked for Virginia Artificial Breeding Association later known as Select Sires. He also attended Virginia Tech. Gordon loved Rappahannock, agriculture, and was a member of many community organizations including: Member of the Board of Directors of the local Virginia Farm Bureau Association; Member of the Board of Directors for the Soil and Water Conservation District; Director of F&M Bank (now BB&T); Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church; Member and past Master of Washington Lodge No. 78 A.F. & A.M. Washington, VA and member of Royal Arch chapter and Knights Templar.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at New Salem Baptist Church on Rt. 522 in Culpeper, VA. A reception will follow at the Salem Fire Hall. Ruth Updike will be coordinating the food and will be onsite at the Fire Hall that morning beginning at 9:00 a.m.

The interment will be private. The family has created a foundation to honor the memory of Gordon Thornhill and his love of Rappahannock and to help the youth of the county. This foundation will provide much needed funds for enrichment projects for the youth of Rappahannock County. These projects can be for many things but preference will be given to programs that are agricultural or sports related.

In lieu of flowers, tax deductible contributions can be made to the Gordon Thornhill Excellence in Youth Foundation at the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation. Checks should be made payable to NPCF with a notation for the Gordon Thornhill Excellence in Youth Foundation and mailed to NPCF, P. O. Box 182, Warrenton, VA, 20188.

Thoughts and prayers can be posted on Found and Sons website: www.foundandsons.com.