Illinois Valley News

Gary Thornhill (Photo provided)

Illinois Valley Lions Club announced that it proudly presents Gary Thornhill as its honoree for grand marshal of the club“s 39th annual Labor Day Parade in Downtown Cave Junction.

Thornhill was born in Alva, Okla. in 1949. His father moved his family to Oregon in 1958 when he got a job working in Cave Junction and Illinois Valley High School. When he was old enough to attend IVHS, he played a good number of sports and even was coached by his father on some teams.

After graduating from IVHS, Thornhill worked for the U.S. Forest Service“s Illinois Valley Ranger District. The following winter he enrolled at Southern Oregon College in Ashland (before it became Southern Oregon University), majoring in art and physical education.

While at college he spent summers working for I.V. Fire District, and the forest service sewing parachutes for its smokejumpers. It was during one break working for the forest service that he was offered a job working as a smokejumper at the former Siskiyou Smokejumpers Base at Illinois Valley Airport, and he jumped at the chance.

During the 10 to 11 years that he was a smokejumper, he made approximately 250 jumps. Of those, around 125 were fire jumps; the others were for training. Making those jumps gave him two rushes. One was the jump from a perfectly good airplane, and the other was landing near a fire.

By 1979, Thornhill accepted a position for six months as the assistant fire management officer at Chetco Ranger District in Brookings. At the end of that assignment he returned to the smokejumper base, and later that year was offered a full-time position as the assistant fire management officer for Illinois Valley Ranger District in Cave Junction.

He worked at that job until the office closed in 1980. While a smokejumper, Thornhill had been trained in the use of explosives to fight fire. He became the regional examiner for the use of explosives on wildfires. While on a training session in Coos Bay, he was approached by an explosives company and offered a position as sales representative. He worked at that for two years, until the logging business took a downturn.

It was during that period that Thornhill became president of Illinois Valley Little League and started a youth co-ed softball league. He and his father also started the Youth Wrestling program around that time.

In 1982, Thornhill returned to schooling to complete his education. He was hired as a substitute teacher and coach at IVHS. In 1984 he accepted a full-time teaching position at Fleming Middle School. He coached football and track at Fleming and North Valley High School.

Thornhill returned to IVHS in 1988 to teach physical education, and coach football and track. He spent the following 18 years at IVHS. 1n 1995 he became the dean of students and athletic director. He spent the remainder of his time at IVHS as vice principal and athletic director.

In 2006 he left IVHS, retiring from Three Rivers School District. He now enjoys fishing, boating, camping, hunting and golfing with Kathy, his wife of 41 years.

He joined other smokejumpers to form the board of directors of a newly formed Smokejumper Museum at I.V. Airport.

One activity Gary loves is working with youth. Last year he worked with his son, Scott, on programs at the Illinois Valley Section of Boys & and Girls Club of the Rogue Valley.

What he likes about being retired is just enjoying life and watching his grandson growing up. The aspect that he“s most proud of is seeing the man Scott has grown into and Scott“s commitment to the youth of Illinois Valley. 

Said Illinois Valley Lions Club, “We hope that you all come out to our 39th annual Labor Day Parade on Monday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. and give Gary Thornhill a big round of applause for his many contributions and years of service to the people of the Illinois Valley. 

“And given Gary“s involvement with children during his many years at I.V. High School and other local schools, as well as his work with the I.V. Boys & Girls Club, he is the perfect choice for grand marshal of this year“s parade, which is themed, “The Illinois Valley “ Through The Eyes Of A Child.“

“We thank Gary for all he does.“

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