Society mourns death of Stephen Thornton, former Treasurer to Bradford Festival Choral Society

The Society was saddened to hear that Stephen Thornton has died after a short illness. He leaves a widow, BFCS former member and friend Diane Thornton

and two children.

Steve will be remembered by the Society for his superb service as Treasurer. He served on the committee during what were, frankly, difficult times for the Society as it battled with declining audiences and spiralling costs. Steve appreciated more than most people the urgent need for the Society to reform and respond more positively and flexibly to those challenges. Sadly it was a few years before his advice was heeded and by then Stephen had moved on to other things having resigned as Treasurer in 2004.

Nevertheless Steve continued to take an interest in the work of the Society and he and his wife Diane (who resigned from the Society in 2007) were encouraged to hear about the Society's efforts to transform itself and were one of the first people to sign up to the Society's new friends scheme.

Steve will be remembered for being a gifted cornet player performing with some of the the best brass bands in West Yorkshire, a musical career which took him all over the world. Our thoughts are with Steve's widow Diane and two children Simon and Nick.

The funeral will take place at Lower Wyke Moravian Church in Wyke near Bradford on Wednesday 20 Jan at 12am.

James Beattie, Chair, Sun 10 Jan 2010 

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