Bobby Ellis Thornton, age 92, of Fordyce, died Sunday, February 8, 2026.

He was born March 22, 1933 in Fordyce to the late Claude Francis Thornton and Ernie Elizabeth Tuberville Thornton. He is also preceded in death by two sisters, Jackie White and Frances White, and four brothers, John R., Richard, Kenneth, and Marion.

Thornton attended Fordyce Public Schools and was a member of the Fordyce Redbug football and basketball teams. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army and after being discharged, he joined the U.S. Navy where he served during the Korean Conflict. After retiring medically from the Navy, he attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston. Thornton was co-owner of Fordyce Wholesale Company from 1960 to 1982 and was the owner of Thornton Wholesale Distributor starting in 1982.

He was a member of Beech Grove Missionary Baptist Church where he was an ordained deacon for 40 years. There he served as music director for 54 years, taught a men’s bible class and Sunday School for 42 years and had perfect Sunday School attendance for 33 years.

Thornton served several years as missions treasurer of the Judson Association. He attended all Arkansas State Associations, not missing a session of the American Baptist Association from 1982 until 2019. He had a special love for the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock and its instructors. He and his wife, Joyce, received the “Friend of the Seminary” award in 2006. He was also a member of the Gideons, the American Legion, and the Fleet Reserve Association.

He was actively involved with the work of the Macedonia Missionary Service in the United States and foreign countries until cancer slowed him down. He helped build 40 church buildings in 26 states across the United States, one in Queensland, Australia, and two in Peru. He helped deliver a church bus to a missionary in Costa Rica, visiting missions on the Pan American highway all through Central America. He made a three-week mission trip to the Philippine Islands and made 28 trips to Mexico City, Mexico, encouraging missionaries. He also made two trips to Saltillo, Mexico.

Thornton also worked with the Arkansas Mission Builders. He enjoyed giving boxes of work gloves and caps with logos of Arkansas Mission Builders, Macedonia Missionary Service, Interstate Mission Development, and Texarkana Baptist Children’s Home. He enjoyed trips to the Holy Land of Israel and also traveled to Greece and Turkey following the steps of the Apostle Paul.

Thornton is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joyce Johnson Thornton, whom he married on August 31, 1958; his son, Robert DeHaan Thornton and wife Mindy of Sheridan; one grandson, Harper Thornton and wife Hannah; one sister, Ruby Vance of West Monroe, Louisiana; one-sister-in-law, Fonda Bell of Bentonville; and eight nieces and nephews.

A visitation was held Thursday afternoon, February 12 at Beech Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Fordyce. Funeral services followed at the church with Rev. Roger Copeland, Rev. Nathan Petty, and Rev. Randy Cloud officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery.

Arrangements were by Benton Funeral Home of Fordyce. To sign the online register visit http://www.bentonfuneralhome.net.