Eugene Harry ?Cook? Thornburg

Eugene Harry ?Cook? Thornburg, 85, of Danville, died Friday, June 16, 2017, at Great River Medical Center, West Burlington.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, June 22, at Congregational United Church of Christ in Danville. Pastor Steven Parker will officiate. Military rites by the Henry County Honor Guard will be held at the church with interment at Blakeway Cemetery, rural Danville.

Visitation will begin at noon on Wednesday at Elliott Chapel, New London with the family present to greet friends from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Memorials have been established for Danville Congregational United Church of Christ and Danville Fire and Rescue.

Thornburg was born Nov. 26, 1931, in Mt. Pleasant, the son of John Edward and Leah Mae Seager Thornburg. On Dec. 31, 1955, he married Norma Jean Sipe in Fairfield. He attended Mt. Pleasant High School. He enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War as a tailgunner on a B-36 named ?The Peacekeeper? from 1950 ? 1954. Following the service he was a telephone contractor for J. O. Morton and in 1958 moved to Danville with his family and became the general manager of the Danville Mutual Telephone Company retiring in 1993.

He was a member of Danville Congregational United Church of Christ. He was a volunteer fireman for 35 years, serving 5 years as chief. Thornburg was a diehard Cardinals and Hawkeyes fan and supporter of Danville student sports. He enjoyed fishing, woodworking, morning coffee with the boys and time spent with grandchildren and his great-granddaughter.

On May 16, 1988, in Des Moines he received the Governor?s Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Thornburg is survived by his wife; one daughter, Vicki (Robert) Branchini, of Plainfield, Ind.; one son, Steve (Michelle) Thornburg, of Bettendorf; two sisters, Mary McKenzie, and Rozella Ford, both of Mt. Pleasant; three grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Floyd, Melvin, Irvin, Rodney and Carl; and one grandson in infancy.