CUMBERLAND – Jack Thornhill is being remembered for his love of family and prolific running ability and endurance.
Thornhill, previously named grand marshal of the Arnold Mills July 4th Parade, and a participant in more than 50 of the event’s parallel races, was found dead in a wooded area of Branch Avenue in Cumberland on April 24 after going missing. A security camera captured video of him walking into the woods alone and not coming out.
According to an obituary from J.J. Duffy Funeral Home, he was the loving husband of Donna Faidell, with whom he shared 42 wonderful years of marriage.
Born in Central Falls, he was the son of the late John G. Thornhill and Mary (McClelland) Thornhill. He made his home in Cumberland for the past 35 years, having previously lived and grown up in Pawtucket.
He was a proud graduate of Providence College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business, say those who knew him. After college, he built a successful career, eventually becoming a vice president in the Data Security Department at Bank of America.
“Running was one of Jack’s passions. He was a prominent member of the local running community and dedicated a good portion of his life to training and racing,” stated his obituary. “He participated in the Arnold Mills Fourth of July 4-miler for an extraordinary 53 consecutive years, and enjoyed many other running achievements. In his lifetime, he completed 48 total marathons, including running the Boston Marathon 20 times.”
Jack’s other passion was baseball, which started as a child when he would listen to the Brooklyn Dodgers on the radio. He followed the team when they moved to Los Angeles and had been a fan ever since. He loved to attend local baseball games when possible, says his family, and enjoyed keeping score by hand whenever he could.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children: Donna Zinck and her husband, Matt, of Cibolo, Texas; Robert Thornhill and his wife, Teri, of New Braunfels, Texas; and Madison Thornhill and her partner, Alexa, of St. Petersburg, Florida.
He also leaves his siblings, Barbara Thornhill of Lincoln, and William Thornhill of Urbana, Illinois; four grandchildren: Aaron, Shea, Deborah, and John; two great-grandchildren: Taysom and Leland; his brother-in-law Peter Faidell and his wife, Roxanne, of Taunton, Mass., his niece Sarah and nephew Matthew.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Rhode Island or the Arnold Mills Parade Association.
Find his online memorial at jjduffyfuneralhome.com.
