Obituary of Thornton Gray Tobey

“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures all.”

-William Shakespeare

Thornton “TG” Tobey rode the flood of fourtune from the sea around the globe and home again. Some shallows and miseries had to be forded in his life and in the end he floated home on a full sea surrounded by love and caring.

Always one to do things his own way; he died the same- on his farm with his beloved wife Norma. TG wanted no fanfare in his death, he didn’t want loved ones and friends to remember him at the end of his voyage in life but rather he wanted them to carry with them the memories of their time together on the full seas, in their happy moments, in the thick grapple or life and sport.

An avid fox hunter and polo player, horses led him on many land-locked adventures and those stories he would recount with laughter and zeal. His maritime vocation engaged many lifelong relationships and brought forth both the glories and the dangers of the sea. Undaunted in the wake of any of these, TG carried on with a taste for the good things in life and for the joy of quiet times with his animals, fishing with his family and eating great meals with friends.

TG, will be missed by his loving wife Norma Valentine, his family, his friends and his fellow travelers from his voyage of life.

Calm seas and clears skies, Thorny.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Sweet Briar College, PO Box 1057, Sweet Briar, VA 24595.

The Historic George Funeral Home, 211 Park Ave., SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (803.649.6234), has charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy for the family may be left by visiting www.georgefuneralhomes.com