After years of living and serving churches in Wyoming, California, Oregon and Idaho-and, following retirement, in Washington, Arizona, North Dakota and Oregon again-John and his wife, Janylee, are back on their farm at the eastern edge of Oregon's Willamette Valley, nine miles away from the small town of Scio. At ages eighty-six and eighty-eight respectively, John and Janylee maintain a sizeable orchard of apple, pear, peach and cherry trees and keep a large flock of chickens. Currently, they are making plans to put the farm into full production with rhubarb and nursery crops and to have, as they say, "a future in agriculture." However, they make time for educational and political activities and remain engaged with Episcopal churches around the Valley. Their home continues to be a shelter for family, friends and neighbors; and all come to bring them the blessing of themselves. Between them, John and Janylee have four children, John Thornton, Jr., Andrea Thornton, Scott Sommer and Julia Ramirez, and six grandchildren ranging in age from eleven to twenty-two. The Thorntons are proud to say that everyone of them is doing something to make the world even more beautiful and to make it just.
