Robert Elwood Thornton, 85, formerly of Manchester, Conn., and of West Boothbay Harbor, died June 4, 2013 at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford.

He was born July 28, 1927 in Harrisburg, Pa., to James and Ethel Wister Thornton. He grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from New Cumberland High School in the class of 1945. He later graduated from Penn State University in the class of 1951.

He worked in Detroit, Mich., for one year in the automotive industry. He later joined Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division in East Hartford as a mechanical engineer where he had a 35 year career retiring in 1987. He and wife Constance moved into their new home in West Boothbay Harbor in April 2005.

Robert was an avid reader and hiker. He was a former member of the Appalachian Mountain Club and the 4000 footer club in New England. He also enjoyed sailing his Etchell-S22 One Design with his daughter, Deborah.

He was a member of the Charles E. Sherman American Legion Post, Penn State Alumni and Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. He was predeceased by his wife, Constance Thomas Thornton who died in 2010.

He is survived by a daughter, Deborah J. Thornton of Farmington, N.H.; son, Jeffrey R. Thornton and his wife Sheila of Enfield, Conn.; grandchildren, Aleah Kaszycki and her husband Matthew of Enfield, Conn., Shawn Thornton of Enfield, Conn.; great grandson, Evan Matthew Kaszycki of Enfield, Conn.; and sister, Dorothy Stoner Mechanicsburg, Pa.

A time of visitation will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, followed by a service to celebrate Robert’s life at 3 p.m. at Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay.

A reception will follow the service at the funeral home. Contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, 4 Oak Street, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

You are invited to share your condolences by visiting the families Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay, Maine.