C. L. Thornhill
A Fine Christian Gentleman
Brian Kenyon

C.L. Thornhill, our beloved brother in Christ, suddenly passed from this life Wednesday, January 25, 2006, at his home. C.L. lived a long, full life faithful to the Lord and in relatively good physical health. Spiritually, we are happy for C.L. because of our confidence in the Lord and in the promises of His word (Ps. 116:15; Rev. 14:13). Somewhat selfishly, however, we are saddened because the man we had been so accustomed to being with will now be gone forever from this world. To us, first and foremost, he was our brother in the Lord. To others, he was also a father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and/or friend. Though this writer has known C.L. for only a little over ten years, a small span compared to many, one epithet stands out: C.L. was a fine Christian gentleman!

C.L. was a fine Christian gentleman when it came to serving the Lord. He was a member of the Eagle Lake church of Christ for several decades, and he served in the eldership for close to forty-five years. He was very supportive of the Gospel and those who labored therein. He enjoyed visiting other congregations to support them in their Gospel Meetings. He regularly attended the Florida School of Preaching lectureships. Not only was he a moral supporter of Gospel efforts, he also was generous when it came to financial support. This proved his true interest, for Jesus said, "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Mt. 6:21). C.L. was also faithful in attending church services. As we checked our 2005 attendance record in order to summarize the year, we noticed that there was only one member of the Eagle Lake church of Christ who had perfect attendance during the entire year-C.L. Thornhill! At 88 years of age he did not miss one assembly of the Eagle Lake church!

C.L. was a fine Christian gentleman when it came to his family. My earliest memory of C.L. was with his wife of 56 years, Jeanette. When I would fill-in at Eagle Lake, they would often take me out to lunch, usually to Quincy's, and along with Paul Williams and Leon Hillis, we enjoyed their fellowship. One of the highlight's of C.L.'s year would be the annual Thornhill reunion. He would tell us some interesting and humorous stories about his own flesh and blood, like the time when James Thornhill first shaved his head. C.L. and Roscoe sat across from him a long while before they realized it was James. It was the sound of James' voice describing his latest ailment that gave it away! C.L. enjoyed being with Charles and Ruth almost every Wednesday night as of late eating supper together. C.L. was a constant visitor to the "house of the Lloyd," for coffee or iced tea. C.L. was especially fond of staying in touch with his siblings, Roscoe, Ruth, and Grace. He loved his family!

C.L. was a fine Christian gentleman when it came to getting along with people. C.L. was the type who never met a stranger. His customary greeting, "What do you know?," seemed to draw people into his friendly aura. Like most Thornhills, he had the "gift of gab," but his style was somewhat unique. Especially in these last few years, C.L. may not have had much to say as he sat quietly, reading and/or sipping his coffee, but when he spoke it was hilarious fitting (cf. Pr. 25:11). Whether it was in the church office before services, at a local restaurant drinking coffee, or at a friend's or relative's house, C.L. spoke with a one-of-a-kind blend of friendliness, humor, and wisdom.

C.L. was a fine Christian gentleman when it came to being a good neighbor. He served us all in World War II with the Army's 34th Infantry, chasing the bad guys through Europe and the deserts of Northern Africa. The experience made him a better man. C.L. was always willing to help. Who could forget the stories he would tell about helping his neighbor, Tony? Knowing Tony's mental condition, the very fact that C.L. would help him speaks volumes! C.L. was no "respecter of persons" when it came to helping. If there was a need, and C.L. had the ability to meet that need, he was more than willing to make the necessary sacrifices to help. A few years ago I had a minor problem: raccoons were eating my mangos. In a casual conversation with C.L., he insisted that I use his trap to catch the varments. Not only did he bring it to me, but he also gave me some practical advice on what to do with the raccoons I trapped. It involved a garbage can filled with water. I decided not to take that advice (because they are such cute little critters), and so I turned them loose in the swamp off of CR 540, only to learn later that C.L. lived on the other side!

There will never be another C.L. We are blessed to have known him these many years. We will truly miss him! However, be of good cheer. One day, "the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thes. 4:16-17). Let us live in such a way that when the Lord returns, we will be with Him and all the faithful in eternity!