Newland “Buck” Thornton

Newland Edward Thornton, known as “Buck”. He was born on January 16, 1946 to parents James William Thornton and Bertha Langston Thornton in the township of Piney Grove in Sampson County, NC.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years of marriage, Gloria Chavis Thornton of Goldsboro, NC, daughter’s Gloria Jean Lipscomb and her husband Kenneth Lispcomb of Dudley, NC and Gail Thornton-Radford of Wilson, NC.

He is survived by his grandchildren Robert and Jessica Radford of Easley, SC, formerly of Princeton NC, Kevin Lipscomb of Dudley, NC and Sgt. Christopher Lipscomb of Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Base, California; sister-in-law, Mary L. Minshew. He is survived by many nieces and a nephew.

He was preceded in death by his parents, many brothers and sisters and 1 nephew.

Buck retired from the NC Department of Agriculture known as Cherry Farm Unit, National Guard Army Reserves, Fork Township Fire Department.

Buck was known as a man who would give you the shirt off his back. He enjoyed cooking on his pig cooker and having many pig pickings for his family. He loved his 3 grandsons with all his heart. We girls never thought our daddy could love his grandsons more than life itself. He was proud of all of them, and he enjoyed spending time with them. He was a joker and loved to make everyone laugh. He was always there to help his friends with farm equipment, cars, wood splitters, pig cookers and anything he could build.

We want to give a special thank you to all of his care givers; Subrina Langston, Sueann Thornton, Dot Littleton, Brandy Blackman, Betty Overfield, Debbie Merrill, Michelle Carroll, Belinda Hawthorne, and the staff of Gentiva Hospice. Special thank you to the facilities that took great care of daddy; Snow Hill Memory Care, Somerset Court, and Spring Arbor of Wilson.

A visitation at Dunn Funeral Home of Newton Grove will be held on October 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM. Funeral service will be at 11:00 AM followed by burial at Hillcrest Cemetery in Newton Grove.

Dunn Funeral Home of Newton Grove is honored to serve the family of Mr. Newland “Buck” Thornton.