The class recently learned of the death of Edward R. Thornton Jr., New Hampshire District Court Judge and Manchester NH attorney, at his home in Moultonborough on Dec. 22, 2004. He was 65.

His brother, Paul Thornton of Leesburg, Fla. told the Manchester Union Leader that Thornton suffered from chest and lung cancer, but continued to work until about a month before he died.

He was born on July 27, 1939 in Manchester, the son of Edward R Thornton Sr. and Rita M. Thornton and lived there until 1987, when he moved to Moultonborough.

While at Dartmouth, Ed was active in the Dartmouth Outing Club, Winter Carnival Council and intramural athletics. He was a member of Alpha Chi Alpha/Alpha Chi Rho, where he was the social chairman and the pledge master.

After graduating from Dartmouth in 1961, he received a law degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 1965.

From 1965 to 1998, he practiced law with the firm of Thornton & Thornton, P.A. From 1987 to 2004, he was a part-time special justice with the Derry District Court. In 2004 he was appointed justice of Franklin District Court.

According to John Broderick, chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, he, Thornton and 10 other attorneys founded the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association. Thornton was a past president and treasurer of the group and served on many association committees and on the board of governors. He was also editor-in-chief of Trial Bar News.

Broderick said he knew Thornton for 25 years. “He was a very decent person, very honorable,” he told the Manchester Union Leader.

Thornton was admitted to practice before the New Hampshire Supreme Court, the United States District Court, the United States Supreme Court and the United States Tax Court. He was a member of the New Hampshire District and Municipal Court Judges Association

He received the New Hampshire Bar Association’s president’s award for outstanding pro bono service and the president’s award for distinguished service. He was member of the decade of the Trial Lawyers Association.

He is survived by his wife, Marion, his mother, Rita, five daughters, Tara Thornton, Meaghan Thornton, Maura Thornton, Shaunna Thornton and Ashley Twedell, two sisters, Joan E. O’Neil, and Carol M. Roy-Alperovitz, two brothers, Paul E. Thornton and William G. Thornton, and his former wife and friend, Jeannie C. Thornton.