Richard D. Thornton ’51

A native of the Boston area, Dick graduated from Wellesley High School and majored in electrical engineering at Princeton. He was active in track, WPRU, and Key and Seal Club. He went on to graduate school at MIT, where he received S.M. and Sc.D. degrees and an appointment to the faculty in 1957. He served as a professor of electrical engineering and computer science until his retirement in 1998. 

While teaching, Dick formed a company, Thornton Associates, that pioneered water purity measurements through resistivity computations. After retirement, he started another company, MagneMotion, which is focused on developing electromagnetic systems for moving people and goods. 

Dick was engaged in a variety of scientific projects relating to propulsion throughout his career, some of which were the forerunner of electric cars. In the 1970s, he participated in the annual MIT electric car race across the country. He and his wife, Marian, were avid sailors up and down the Atlantic Coast from their summer home on Buzzards Bay, and they enjoyed skiing, hiking, and a variety of other outdoor adventures. 

Predeceased by his wife, Dick died May 16, 2023, in Concord, Mass.