Lyle Melvin Thornburg

November 26, 1936 - December 6, 2019

Lyle Melvin Thornburg, 83, of Kalkaska passed away at home surrounded by his family on December 6, 2019. Lyle was born in Petoskey, Michigan to the late Oza and Louise (Rattray) Thornburg on November 26, 1936. He served in the Marine Corps from 1954 to 1960 where he excelled on the pistol shooting team. Later he worked as a heavy equipment operator, then as a truck driver for Mobile Oil. After moving back to Kalkaska, he served as a reserve police officer for 11 years. Lyle enjoyed hunting and fishing, as well as playing cards and shooting pool. Lyle is survived by his children: Tammy (John) Harper, Teresa (Wayne) Granger, Terri (Craig) Crambell, and Norman Thornburg, Glen (Camilla) Thornburg; grandchildren: Kyle, Kelly, Wayne, Brett, Katie, Grant, David, Adam, Matthew, Warren, Daniel, David, Elizabeth, and Brandon; great-grandchildren: Maison, Hudson, Anderson, Andrew, Benjamin, Vera, Teagen, Sydney, Holly, Dylan and one on the way, and his loving wife and friend of many years, Norma Thornburg; siblings: Neil (Betty) Thornburg, Dale (Valerie) Thornburg, Carol Thornburg and Jeannie (Dick) Lee. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Iver Thornburg and Janice Fisher. The family wishes to express their sincere & special thanks to the Grayling Hospice Team for their excellent & compassionate care. Memorial donations can be made to Munson Hospice, 1105 6th Street, Traverse City, MI 49684. He was quite the jokester and loved to make others smile and laugh. He believed music was the key to life because a person couldn’t stay angry or sad while listening to good song. He has donated his body to research at U of M. Lyle didn’t have the opportunity to finish high school, he received his GED in the Marines. Because of this, he loved saying that he was going to U of M…and not as a student, but to teach. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, December 14, 2019 at the Kalkaska Senior Center, 303 S Coral Street, Kalkaska, from 1-4pm. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Kalkaska Funeral Home and Cremation Services.