William Clarence Thornton

William "Bill" Clarence Thornton, a fourth-generation Nevadan, was born in 1934 in Reno to Clarence and Jeanne Thornton, with family roots reaching back to a pioneer great-grandfather who settled in the Washoe area in 1869. A graduate of Reno High School, Bill went on to earn his Bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, and attended law school at the University of Arizona before completing his law degree at George Washington University Law School in 1961.

Admitted to practice in the State of Nevada, Bill was also admitted before the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Court, and the United States Tax Court. He held a private practice in Reno beginning in 1961 and was known throughout his career for mentoring many young attorneys. He combined his legal expertise with a gift for creativity and innovation, applying it to a wide range of business and civic ventures across the state.

Beyond the law, Bill was a tireless advocate for Reno and Nevada. Drawing on his understanding of tax funding, he pushed for dedicating a portion of room tax to sustain funding for the arts, and he was instrumental in the revitalization of downtown Reno, including the development of the Reno River Walk and the amphitheater in Wingfield Park. A committed philanthropist and advocate for the outdoors, he supported Friends of Nevada Wilderness, the Nature Conservancy, and the creation of Great Basin National Park, and the Thornton family gifted 180 acres of land to UNR and Washoe County. Bill also served for many years in the U.S. Air Force and the Nevada Air National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.