Bill Thorndike was public-spirited, community-minded, and generous.
Bill died Saturday of a heart attack.
I got calls and texts: "Did you hear the terrible news? Bill Thorndike died."
The sad news brings us back to what is important. Character is important. The choices and priorities Bill had were important. Bill was a good guy who did good things, willingly and generously.
Bill spent decades building social capital -- the glue and energy that make a place work better. He was on committees, and frequently led them. He was tireless. Hospital board. Education board. Government boards. Nonprofit boards. Social club boards. Business boards. Financial boards. He was a builder. He built community organizations. He was good at it.
People are shocked and rattled that Bill died. Too sudden. Too soon. We feel grief, but loss, too. We are all better off because of Bill and how he lived his life.
The bell tolls for us. The community is poorer now.
 |
| Bill, with wife Angela, at the University Club |
 |
| Bill, with Tobias Read, Oregon's Secretary of State |
 |
| Bill, signing his submission to the voters pamphlet urging county offices be non-partisan |
 |
| Bill, preparing to make a public presentation with two former county commissioners, Sue Kupillas and David Gilmour [Note: To get daily delivery of this blog to your email go to: https://petersage.substack.com Subscribe. Don't pay. The blog is free and always will be.] |
3 comments:
We’re at an age where we’re attending an increasing number of memorial services, which does put things in perspective. As Chief Crowfoot famously said: “What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is a breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.”
Death is certain for all of us, like a thief in the middle of the night for some of us. He has moved on to the great mystery. Is there consequences for the way we chose to live our life, both good or bad? Being a force for good seems like a better way to live regardless of one’s beliefs.
Some people give; some people take; and some just stand on the sidelines.
It sounds like Bill was a giver, and he leaves an inspired example of a well-lived life, and a legacy that has touched countless lives and the community in positive ways.
Post a Comment