Clifton Thomton Obituary

Clifton O. Thomton, age 96, a 53-year resident of Glen Ellyn, IL died on March 22, 2011, following a short illness. Mr. Thomton died peacefully at his daughter's home with his four children caring for him in his final hours. Mr. Thomton was born February 11, 1915 to the late Olaf and Christine Thomton in Montevideo, MN. He attended Montevideo public schools and graduated from high school in 1934. He graduated from Dunwoody Technical School in Minneapolis in 1937 and was immediately recruited by an up-and-coming company, IBM. Mr. Thomton served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, entering the service as a private and leaving four years later as an Officer with the rank of Captain. He was stationed in India for two years during the war. He was responsible for the operations of early IBM computers that were being used to keep track of logistics and personnel information for the Army in the China-Burma-India Theater. The computers, some weighing a ton or more, are depicted in a display at the Admiral Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, Texas. On February 22, 1942, he was united in holy matrimony to Genevieve Thronson of Edgerton, WI, who preceded him in death by two years. After joining IBM, Mr. Thomton served in various management positions for the company in Chicago and suburbs. After 38 years of service, Mr. Thomton retired in 1975. The couple remained in Glen Ellyn and for the next 30 years traveled frequently throughout the country visiting their children and grandchildren as well as many visits to Europe, especially their ancestral homeland of Norway. They were longtime members of Faith Lutheran Church. Following the death of his beloved wife, Mr. Thomton moved to the home of his daughter Diane Thomton Tye in Carlsbad, CA, and spent many happy times with her family. Mr. Thomton is survived by his sons, Steven Thomton and his wife Carolyn of Larkspur, CO; Craig Thomton and his wife Christine of Wheaton, IL; and his daughters, Cathy and her . husband David Huntsinger of Margate, FL; and Diane and her husband George Tye of Carlsbad, CA; nine grandchildren, Amy Thomton (Jon) Marbach of Denver, CO, Gregory (Sarah) Thomton of Reno, NV, John (Becky) Thomton of Winter Park, FL, Mark (Christy) Thomton of Evanston, IL, Steven Thomton of Wheaton, IL, Dwayne (Angela) Huntsinger of Milton, FL, Laurie (Michael) Tartaglia of Palm Harbor, FL, Lisa (Joseph) Davis of Carlsbad, CA, Jeffrey (Sonia) Tye of San Francisco, CA; six great-grandchildren, Wilson and Calvin Thomton of Reno, Genevieve Marbach of Denver, Hayden Huntsinger of Milton, Michael and Eva Tartaglia of Palm Harbor; two sisters, Bernice Lindeberg of Minneapolis and Helen Marie Jacobs of Montevideo. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, other family and many friends. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Luella and Eileen and his brother, Nory. He was loved by all and will be sorely missed. Funeral services will be held at 1p.m. on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at Faith Lutheran Church, 41 North Park Boulevard in Glen Ellyn. Interment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Glen Ellyn. Funeral arrangements handled by Leonard Memorial Home, (630) 469-0032.