Services were held 11 AM, Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at the YST South Housing Gym in Wagner. Burial was in the Holy Fellowship Episcopal Cemetery in Greenwood. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Robert James Thornton was born April 24, 1961 to Walter and Lena (Cook) Thornton in Yankton, SD. He died May 24, 2016 in Minneapolis, MN.

Robert, also known as Bobby, was the youngest of Walter and Lena's 13 children. He grew up in Yankton, SD where he attended school and graduated from Yankton High School in 1979. After high school, Bobby served in the US Navy. Bobby spent most of his adult life in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Bobby is survived by his brothers: Marvin Thornton and partner Maggie Pretends Eagle of SIoux Falls, SD and John Thornton and partner Sharon Smith of Yankton, SD; his sisters: Rose (Thornton) Blakey of Yankton, Margret Thornton of Sioux Falls and Marilyn (Thornton) and her husband Thomas Wright of Norfolk, NE and 43 nieces and nephews.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Lena; brothers: Joseph Thornton, William "Bill" Thornton, Walter Thornton, Jr.; sisters: Charlene (Thornton) Stuhlmacher, Delores (Thornton) Boerema, Eleanor "Pat" (Thornton) Snoozy and Carol Thornton; and his grandparents: William and Cora (Collins) Thornton and John and Mary (Lawrence) Cook; and nieces: Celeste McBride, Teresa Thornton-Necklace, Faith Zephier, Deb Thornton, Roxanne Thornton-Necklace; and nephews: William Wright, Troy Thornton and Willard Zephier Jr.