Dana "Jo" Thornburg

Our precious angel got to walk through Heaven's Gates on Monday, April 27, 2015 at 10:41 a.m. Her life was always filled with the presence of God and without excuse stood by the side of her loving husband no matter the circumstance. The God that she served and worshipped she now gets to see and look upon His precious face. Not only was she a loving wife, she was a godly mother and without failing taught us the ways of the Lord and how we should walk as we grew into manhood. She loved her grandchildren with everything in her heart and always had a smile on her face when they were around her.

Dana "Jo" Thornburg, 72, Gray, was born in Sullivan County, TN, and resided in Gray the past 57 years. She was the pastor's wife of Orebank Chapel Central Baptist Church. Jo worked at ITT North Electric in Gray, Sperry Rand in Blountville, and Thomas Industries in Johnson City. She played the piano at her church.

She was preceded in death by a miscarried child; parents, Rev. Emory Potter and Margaret "Nanny" Potter; sister, Edith Lee Potter; and several nieces and nephews.

Jo is survived by her husband, Pastor Lelbert Thornburg; sons, Emory Lee Thornburg and wife, Liz, Terry "Doc" Thornburg, Dalton Thornburg; special daughter, Faye Melear; grandchildren, Whitney Thornburg, Andrea Bailey, Emilee Stamey Davis and husband, Kenny, Jon Stamey and wife, Jessica; great-grandchildren, Abby Herceg, Timothy Street, Corbin Davis, Jennifer Stamey, and Scarlet Stamey; her two special boys, Harvey Rogers and Lloyd Ingle; grand-dog, Rocky; sisters, Leta Hutchins, Karen Moore, and Rosa Barton; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5 to 8 pm at Orebank Chapel Central Baptist Church. The service will follow at 8 pm with Pastor Wayne Baker officiating and special comments by her pastor and husband.

The graveside service will be on Friday at 1 pm at Snyder's Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be Gary Cowden, Rob Lawson, David Hutchins, Jonathan Lawson, Josh Willis, Roger Poore, and Dalton Thornburg. Honorary pallbearers will be Carl Taylor, Charles Hilton, and Wallace Fletcher.

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