William Preston Thornley

William Preston Thornley, 92, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 14, 2016. The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. William P. Thornley are invited to attend his Funeral Service at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at St. James Church. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery with Military Honors. William was born on January 20, 1924 in Anderson South Carolina as the third son of Bertrand K. Thornley and Martha Westmoreland Thornley. He graduated from Greenville High School and attended the University of South Carolina. In 1943 he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served as a Turret Gunner for missions in the Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, New Guinea and the Philippines. His service decorations include the Asiatic Pacific Theater Operations Medal, the Philippine Liberation G023 Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and Good Conduct Medal. After his honorable discharge in 1946, he relocated to Europe as an agent of various life insurance companies that catered to American military personnel. He married his wife of 56 years in 1959 and ultimately returned to the US settling in Charleston SC. He was baptized into Christ at St James Church on James Island and served as an usher for many years. He is survived by his wife, Ingeborg Barbara Danz Thornley; his daughter, Melanie Ann Schuh; his son Erick Preston Byrd; his six grandchildren: Colin, Emily, Conrad, Adam, Liza and Andrew and three great grandchildren: Craig, Grady and Wynn.Memorials may be made to St. James Church, 1872 Camp Road, Charleston, SC 29412.