Peter P. Thornton

Long Island, ME — Peter P. Thornton, 81, passed away on June 24th at his home on Long Island, surrounded by his loving family.

Peter was born in Portland, Maine, on July 20, 1943, the son of John and Nona Thornton. He grew up in Portland with his beloved brothers Michael and Paul. The Thornton brothers started spending their summers on Long Island when John and Nona purchased their family cottage in 1952, each summer began by shipping their refrigerator from their home on Commonwealth Drive to the Island. The Thornton Family’s love for Long Island continues to this day.

Peter’s father, John, was born in Portland and was one of nine children raised on Anderson Street. Peter’s mother, Nona, was born in Portland and lived on Vesper Street. Peter’s grandfather was the son of a Norwegian fisherman and blacksmith, who was shipwrecked while emigrating to New York in 1901, ultimately settling in Maine. Sailing, in tandem with the beauty of the Maine coastline perfectly reflects Peter’s Scandinavian roots.

John and Nona raised their sons in the Catholic faith and were active members of St Joseph’s Church on Stevens Avenue, dedicating much of their time at the Father Hayes Center.

Given their strong Catholic upbringing, Peter and his brothers attended Cheverus High School. Cheverus is where Peter discovered his love of football. He earned All-State and All-American honors in 1961 before playing for legendary coaches Joe Kuharich and Ara Parseghian at the University of Notre Dame. A varsity letterman, Peter was part of the number one ranked Irish team during their celebrated 9-1 season in 1964.

After his playing days, Peter returned to Cheverus as part of an elite coaching staff, helping guide the Stags to the 1985 Maine State Football Championship.

In 2010, Peter married Patricia Kirby, his best friend and the love of his life. Pat, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, came to Maine with a dream of one day living on an island. As fate would have it, she met a knowledgeable and charming real estate broker named Peter. The rest was history. Together, Peter and Pat, shared a deep love of sports, especially Notre Dame football and Duke basketball. Pat was a devoted and steady partner throughout their years together, especially during Peter’s courageous battle with cancer.

Peter is survived by his devoted wife, Patricia; his children and stepchildren: Matthew Thornton and his children Matthew, William, and Madison; Meg Zumba and her husband Pete, and their daughter Georgia; and Emily Rekuc and her husband Bob, and their children Lucy and Sam.
Peter will be remembered with affection for his kind spirit, sense of humor, and unforgettable stories. His memory will live on thru the generations of family and friends who had the privilege of knowing the man.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street, Portland. Burial will take place on Wednesday, June 2, 2025, at 4pm at New Hill Cemetery, Long Island. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home of Portland. To view Peter’s memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit www.ConroyTullyWalker.com

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Peter’s memory to the Peter P. Thornton Scholarship, Cheverus High School, 267 Ocean Ave, Portland, ME 04103; or the Long Island Fire and Rescue, 488 Island Ave, Long Island, ME 04050