Otis Thornton
Dec. 19, 1967-July 31, 2021
Services for Otis Thornton
A service for Otis Thornton, a leader in the effort to deal with homelessness in Fort Worth is scheduled Friday Aug. 6 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (3:30 p.m.. Central Time) at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, 213 Colonial Heights Road, Kingsport, Tennessee.
The family said the service also will be streamed on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gOIRDk3d-as Mr. Thornton died July 31. He was 53. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma in January and underwent treatment including two surgeries before his death.
He was the City of Fort Worth’s first head of the Directions Home program launched by former Mayor Mike Moncrief and later served as executive director of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (TCHC), the agency that serves as the umbrella organization for the federal funding in the fight against homelessness.
The family said masks will be required in the church.
A celebration of life will immediately follow the church service and be held in the Rec Building in Warrior’s Path State Park, 490 Hemlock Road, Kingsport. A Tex-Mex meal and dessert will be provided, and guests are asked to provide their own drinks. Beer and wine are allowed.
Hawaiian-style shirts – a favorite style of Mr. Thornton – are welcome, but certainly not required at the church service, the family said.
“Everyone has been so kind over the past months to ask how they can help. Now we have a way,” the family said. “Cards will be available at the celebration for you to write your favorite Mark/Otis story on.”