A sad announcement

I spoke with daughter Susan, who had recently moved back to Richmond to be closer to Tim. Plans for services are pending due to the holiday weekend, but most likely on September 24th. We shared lots of stories about Tim's legendary biking - she has one of his bikes and plans to put it to good use. Also talked about the care he gave to the villa - finished like fine furniture inside and out. So many stories, some she had never heard like his influence on the Carnaval King story above.
 
I am just going to throw this out there, I will be sending flowers from dda & me. I was also thinking it might be a good idea to send flowers from the sbhonline forum community, since Tim was a major part of this forum for so many years and worked hard to make sure we all had a good experience. I am in st. barths but would also love to contribute to the flowers from the sbhonline community, is anyone else interested? would anyone in the states be interested in arranging this?

And yes there are so many stories, when Tim sold his villa, he sold his truck to me and his car to Jo-Anne. The truck from 1999 is still being driven by dda's brother on the island. A chance encounter in grand fond in 2004 became a wonderful friendship.
 
I am just going to throw this out there, I will be sending flowers from dda & me. I was also thinking it might be a good idea to send flowers from the sbhonline forum community, since Tim was a major part of this forum for so many years and worked hard to make sure we all had a good experience. I am in st. barths but would also love to contribute to the flowers from the sbhonline community, is anyone else interested? would anyone in the states be interested in arranging this?

And yes there are so many stories, when Tim sold his villa, he sold his truck to me and his car to Jo-Anne. The truck from 1999 is still being driven by dda's brother on the island. A chance encounter in grand fond in 2004 became a wonderful friendship.
Let's wait and see what the family's wishes are. So many are encouraging a favorite charity rather than flowers these days.
 
We are sorry to hear this news and extend our sympathy to his family and friends.

Tim was so wonderful with us. I can’t remember exactly when we first met him but guessing it was at a forum meet up. He was always helpful in answering our many newbie questions, whether on the forum or on the island.

Many years ago (no Wi-Fi in villa then) I was having ear trouble and needed to see a doctor quickly. Tim provided names, phone numbers, and office hours. A day or so later, Tim arrived at our villa (either by hiking or biking) to make sure I had received care and to see how I was doing. So thoughtful and kind.

He invited us to his lovely villa for a small cocktail gathering. We met Wendy that evening. She and Dennis were renovating Normandie.

We have been missing Tim on the island these past few years and will continue to miss him.

We would be happy to contribute and will stay tuned.
 
This makes me so sad.

Bob and I were just in the mountains of North Carolina, driving between Cashiers and Highlands. It’s a short distance, but there are something like 40+ switchbacks, no shoulder, and these glorious winding mountain roads. We passed a sign saying that we were sharing the road with bikers, and we both immediately said that the only biker we knew who would even THINK of riding those roads was SBH Tim.

That was just three days ago, and he was very much in our thoughts.

We had the good fortune to meet Tim several times on St. Barths, and Tim was such an enthusiastic supporter of everything that was organically St. Barths. Who else rode those hills like he did??

I also have such fond memories of the early days of SBHonline. At some point, I realized I needed to add a couple of moderators. Bob and I had both left the practice of law and opened our restaurant by then (good lord!!!!), and most of our energy was going toward simply surviving in the restaurant world, which was no small task.

I wanted to make sure SBHonline stayed authentic and somewhat on the rails, and I needed some help. Tim and John were my choices. John had a good grasp on all things internet (iJEK :) ), and Tim had such a love for the island. He was restoring his home in Vitet and brought so much wonderful local knowledge and perspective to the forum.

They both graciously agreed and, for a while, even quietly moderated behind the scenes. Tim and John later brought on Dennis and KevinS, and it is pretty remarkable to me that something that started almost 25 years ago is still kicking.

Tim was a large part of the reason it did.

I’m so very sorry to hear this news, and I’m thinking especially everyone who loved him. What a lovely, enthusiastic, completely original presence he was in this little St. Barths world of ours.
 
Very sad news. Tim was a wonderful ambassador for St Barths.
His contributions to this forum and to all things St Barths are many.
Also, I almost ran him over while he was biking and I was driving/sightseeing.
 
We are sorry to hear this news and extend our sympathy to his family and friends.

Tim was so wonderful with us. I can’t remember exactly when we first met him but guessing it was at a forum meet up. He was always helpful in answering our many newbie questions, whether on the forum or on the island.

Many years ago (no Wi-Fi in villa then) I was having ear trouble and needed to see a doctor quickly. Tim provided names, phone numbers, and office hours. A day or so later, Tim arrived at our villa (either by hiking or biking) to make sure I had received care and to see how I was doing. So thoughtful and kind.

He invited us to his lovely villa for a small cocktail gathering. We met Wendy that evening. She and Dennis were renovating Normandie.

We have been missing Tim on the island these past few years and will continue to miss him.

We would be happy to contribute and will stay tuned.
Let's wait and see what the family's wishes are. So many are encouraging a favorite charity rather than flowers these days.
We could do both
 
Tim was a great recruiter, host and sports fan. That gathering had the whole eastern conference, Ellen and the Eagles, Tim and the Redskins, and Phil and the Cowboys
 
Tim was such a kind person and made everyone feel welcome. May he rest in eternal peace and may his family take comfort in knowing that he was loved by so many people.
 
JEK messaged me this morning with the news. I'm so sorry to hear this. I'd occasionally grab a meal with Tim after most of the Junies left the island. He was intelligent, interesting, and had a great sense of humor.
I haven't been on island in over 13 years, but still think often of the friends I made down there...
 
Thanks for posting, Diana.
As I remember, it was about '02 -'03 that Tim and I first met.
A friend, mentor and fellow villa owner who was a stalwart of this board.
Good call by Kara Brooks to select him as moderator along with his friend (JEK) John King.
 
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posted by Tim's daughter Susan:
John Timothy Thornton (1946-2026)
John Timothy (“Tim”) Thornton, 79, of Richmond, VA, died on September 6, 2026, with family present after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
He was born in Norfolk, VA in 1946 to the late George Alden Thornton and Mary Eleanor Dillard, and grew up in Suffolk VA. Tim attended Suffolk High School before studying English at Hampden Sydney College. He joined the Theta Chi fraternity and acted as President his senior year. While in college, he married Rickey Dianne Howard in 1967. They had a son John Timothy (“JT”) Junior in 1968 and went on to have two daughters, Adrianne in 1970, and Susan in 1981.
After graduating college, Tim taught at Fork Union Military Academy and worked in telecom, quickly deciding neither were his passion. He also served in the National Guard. He later joined his father’s furniture business, which took him to Wilson and Elizabeth City, NC. While there, he discovered opportunity in the Outer Banks, ultimately becoming a real estate developer. He partnered with his brother Buck to develop multi-family vacation homes at Ship’s Watch in Duck as well as the Timbuck II Shopping Center in Corolla. He also acquired Avon Fishing Pier, where he built a small golf course and restaurant.
Tim was simultaneously involved in various community service and philanthropic efforts, serving on the board of the Coastal Resources Commission and supporting the Nature Conservancy. In his home community, he presided over the Downtown Business Association for Elizabeth City and was elected County Commissioner for Pasquotank County after he ran to address local challenges he had observed. While serving in that capacity, he implemented the county’s first recycling program and worked to provide running water to an underserved community.
Tim “retired” early to focus on his family but never slowed down. He continued to volunteer extensively and pursued his many hobbies, including cycling, travel, carpentry, and improving his home and property. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Tim set and achieved a goal of completing a bike ride across Virginia.
Tim loved his friends and family dearly. He was preceded in death by his brother Buck Thornton, sister Mary Eleanor Martin, and daughter Adrianne Thornton. He is survived by his wife Rickey Thornton, son John (“JT”) Thornton, Jr., daughter Susan Thornton, granddaughter Chloe Thornton, and step-grandsons Rylan and Kincaid Hopp.
He will be remembered for his self-determination, strength of character, generosity, and wit.
Visitation will take place September 23 from 6-8pm and the Celebration of Life will be September 24 at 1pm. Both will be hosted at Bliley’s Funeral Home 3801 Augusta Ave, Richmond, VA 23230.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to VCU Parkinson’s Foundation or Goochland Cares.
 
https://www.blileys.com/obituaries/John-Timothy-Thornton?obId=49565382

Susie and I plan on going down for the visitation and the funeral.
How great that you’re able to do so! I’m sorry that Wendy & I cannot be there — Tim was a surrogate & great “handyman” for us at Villa CEC in our early years of buying & renovating it, especially when storms were threatening the island — always showing up, unsolicited, to make sure that “hatches were battened down!”
 
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