Luther Ray Thorn, 85, of Red Bay, Ala., died from complications of leukemia on Feb. 3, 2014, at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas. Born April 14, 1928, he grew up and lived in the Pogo community his entire life, except for two years in the U.S. Army stationed in Ft. Sill, Okla., and the past year in Houston.
Luther Ray is survived and will be greatly missed, by his loving wife of 62 years, Hildred Gray Thorn; daughters, Carolyn Wingfield (and husband, Tom), of Atlanta, Ga., and Charlotte Kiel (and husband, Verlon), of Houston, Texas; granddaughters, Ellen Kiel Plaisted (and husband, Jeff), of Houston, Texas, and Emily Kiel Ross (and husband, Jake), of Austin, Texas; and grandson, Andrew Thorn Kiel, of College Station, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Luther Dow and Nannie Russell Thorn, and brothers, Milton Thorn and Fay Thorn.
He operated the family farm in Pogo from 1942 until 2013 and was honored with the Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award by the Franklin County Alabama Cooperative Extension System in 2013. He was a member of Harmony Baptist Church and a charter member of the Pleasant Site Volunteer Fire Department where he served on the board of directors for over 20 years.
Visitation will be today, 6-8 p.m., at Deaton Funeral Home, Red Bay. Services will be on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 2:30 p.m. at Harmony Baptist Church in the Pleasant Site community with Brother Roger Wood officiating. The body will lie in state at the church from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Burial will be in Pleasant Site Cemetery with Deaton Funeral Home, Red Bay, Ala., in charge of arrangements.
Pallbearers will be Andrew Kiel, Jeff Plaisted, Jake Ross, Norman Thorn, David Thorn, Randy Holland, Anthony Ewing, and Brett Malone. Honorary pallbearers will be Dale Hester, Jon Petree, and Jimmy Thorn.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant Site Cemetery Fund (c/o Dale Hester, 20697 Hwy 23, Red Bay, AL 35582) or to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (for Research) (https://gifts.mdanderson.org/mdanderson/main.php/micro-sites/showpage?id=1).
