Thornton, Gayle W.

Gayle W. Thornton, 81, of Christiansburg passed away on April 19, 2022. She is preceded in death by her mother and step-father, Valice and Clyde Fitzgerald; brother, Madison Ray Fitzgerald; and son, William Scott King.

She is survived by her loving husband, Howard Malcolm Thornton; granddaughters, Ashley K. Looney and husband Scott Looney, Stephanie A. King and partner Allison Reed, Katlyn C. King, Madison S. King, Martha G. King, and Stephanie Quirk; great-grandsons, William Scott Looney and Sayerson Wells King.

Gayle was a international model in New York, Southeast US, and Brazil. She worked at Virginia Tech for 32 years in a number of department along with her very best friend, Lynn Young Blevins. Gayle loved to dance the Carolina Shag along with her husband. The two of them taught the shag dance to many in the New River Valley.

Family will receive friends on Sunday, April 24, 2022 from 3:00-5:00 pm at Horne Funeral Home with a memorial service to follow in the Horne Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. George Bulson officiating. A graveside service will be held on Monday, April 25, 2022 at Roselawn Memorial Gardens at 1:00 pm.