Born April 7, 1925 in Calipatria, CA. William attended Harding, Lincoln, and Wilson grammar schools. He graduated from Central Union High School in 1942, Imperial Valley College where he was awarded the American Legion Award in 1946, and the University of Redlands in 1949 where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and was president of his fraternity.
He received his Master of Arts degree in Business Education from San Diego State University in 1973.

Upon graduating from college he joined the family farming enterprise, Thor Packing Co., Inc.
At various times he served as President and director of the Holtville Chamber of Commerce, President and member of the Holtville Rotary Club, President and Director of Western Growers Association, President and member of the Imperial Valley College Board of Trustees, and founding member of the Imperial Valley College Foundation.

He served on the Holtville City Council from 1954 to 1960 and was Mayor of Holtville from 1956 to 1960.
He was named Holtville's first Citizen of the Year in 1954 and was inducted into the Imperial Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame in 1989.

In 1967, Bill resigned as Trustee of IVC and applied for and received a position as Instructor of Business. He pursued his teaching career until 1980 when he applied for and received the position of Vice President for Business Services.

During his tenure as teacher he served nine years on the Academic Senate where he served as chairperson one year.

After retiring as Vice President for Business Services in 1990, he has been active in the Imperial County Historical Society and museum, serving as President in 1999 and pursuing his lifelong love of music by working for three years helping to restore the original pipe organ from the State street Christian Church of El Centro.

He served as organist for the United Methodist Church of Holtville for 52 years. He is the only person who graduated from IVC, served as a trustee of IVC (founding) taught at IVC and became a vice president of IVC.

William is survived by his wife Evelyn Marie of 63 years; sons, William Rogers and Janet Thornburg, Joel James and Denise Thornburg, Gregory Lewis and Nancy Thornburg, Todd Samuel and Patricia Thornburg; daughter, Rebecca Marie and Roy Blevins; 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Published in Imperial Valley Press Online from June 14 to June 16, 2011