Michael "Mike" Thornton
Michael "Mike" Thornton
In the early hours of September 4, 2015, Michael
“Mike” Thornton passed away in a local area hospital. He was 67 years old.
Born on November 26, 1947 in Encinitas, California, he
grew up off the beaten path in Sawyer’s Bar, California. While still in high school,
he met the love of his life, Patricia Pritchard and because he didn’t want to
rob the cradle, they married the day after her 18
th
birthday. Soon
after, they moved to Seattle to begin their life, which was abruptly
interrupted when he was drafted to serve in Vietnam. After being away from Pat
and missing the birth of his first daughter Tricia, Mike returned home vowing
to never spend another day apart from the woman he loved so much. A year later,
their second daughter Michelle arrived and the young family loaded up their VW
bus and moved to Boise, Idaho.
Because Boise needed a place for Volkswagen and buggy
enthusiasts, Mike and Pat opened Bow Wow Auto Parts in 1972, where third
generation car enthusiasts still shop today. Cars were a central part of Mike’s
life and he enjoyed building and racing desert buggies with Pat running the
show in the pits. They both loved the outdoors and were able to build their
dream house in the mountains, moving there permanently in 1996. Even after
Alzheimer’s changed their future plans, Pat and Mike were always together and because
of Pat’s strength, they were able to live
in their home until
the day he died.
Mike is survived by his loving wife, Pat; daughters
Tricia Burns and Michelle Skogerson; son-in-law Mike Burns; grandchildren
Jessica, Erika-Mychael, Brittnay, and Michael; sister-in-law Pam Stucker (and
husband Dave); nephew Wylie Thornton; niece Karnam Pritchard; nephew David Hessler; grand-niece Cassie Weightman; siblings
Ted and Carol “Teen”; and numerous other
family and friends scattered throughout the west, including his loving and
supportive caregiver, Lisa Breeding.
A celebration of Mike’s life will be held at Alden
Waggoner Funeral Chapel located at 5400 Fairview Avenue in Boise, on Tuesday,
September 8 at 10:30 am.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Michael "Mike" Thornton, please visit our flower store.
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