Ray Thornton

A Representative from Arkansas. Born in Conway, Faulkner County, Ark. , July 16, 1928. Attended public schools at Leola and Sheridan, Grant County, Ark. Attended the University of Arkansas, 1945-1947. B. A. , Yale University, 1950. Attended law school at the University of Texas, 1950-1951. J. D. , University of Arkansas, 1956. United States Navy, Korean conflict, 1951-1954, attained the rank of lieutenant. Admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1956 and commenced practice in Sheridan and Little Rock. Served as deputy prosecuting attorney, Pulaski and Perry Counties, 1956-1957. Delegate from Grant and Jefferson Counties to the Seventh Constitutional Convention of Arkansas, 1969-1970. Attorney general of Arkansas, 1971-1973. Elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-third and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1973-January 3, 1979). Was not a candidate for reelection to the United States House of Representatives in 1978, but was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the United States Senate. Director, Ouachita Baptist University-Henderson State University Joint Educational Consortium, 1979-1980. President, Arkansas State University, 1980-1984. President, University of Arkansas, 1984-1990. Elected to the One Hundred Second and to the two succeeding Congresses. Served until his resignation on January 1, 1997 (January 3, 1991-January 1, 1997). Was not a candidate for reelection to the United States House of Representatives, but was a successful candidate for election to the Arkansas state supreme court. Justice, Arkansas state supreme court, 1997-2005. Died on April 13, 2016, in Little Rock, Ark. Interment at Philadelphia Cemetery, Prattsville, Ark.