Dax Thornton

Dax D. Thornton returned to his Heavenly Father on July 6, 2021 in Owyhee, Nevada. Dax was born on June 17, 1999 in Ogden, Utah. After a rough start at birth, in which he spent the first 10 days on earth in the NICU, Dax had a good childhood, playing with his older sister, brother and friends. He had a strong love for sports and animals, especially horses. He was a talented athlete and excelled in both football and basketball in junior high and high school. He loved the cowboy life, and spent many of his early days down at the ranch with his dad. He had a great love for and enjoyed being around little kids, and they were drawn to him. He would practice two things by the hour, roping and basketball both alone and with his brother Zack. He was gifted at both. As he got older he spent a lot of time on the Clarno Ranch with Colton, Bill and Joe Foster, where he developed more as a good ranch hand and horseman. At the end of his senior basketball season he was selected to play in the Montana All-star basketball tournament where he won the 3 point shooting competition. His good nature and work ethic made him easy to like. He often didn’t say much but he was always thinking. One thing that he could do to make you smile, was he could do impressions of just about anyone that would make you laugh. After graduation, he went to work in Nevada, at the YP ranch in Tuscarora. He loved it down there and felt right at home. It was down there that he started to rodeo. He rode saddle bronc and did other ranch events. He came back to the area one winter and worked at Freckers Saddlery, learning saddle and tree making and leather work. Dax was very artistic so this occupation intrigued him. Dax liked to draw and was good at depicting western scenes in his artwork. Dax was part Native American on his mother’s side and drawn to that way of life. He dearly loved his sister Cole, and his brother Zack, and loved teasing his step sister Gracie and nicknamed her Loud. He helped his step brother Johnny adjust to life in Lima and helped him in football and basketball. His dad and step mom Carla gave him a new sibling too, Elizabeth, whom he loved. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dax is survived by his mother Stacy, his father Branden (Carla), siblings Zack (Carli), Cole (Garrett), stepbrother Johnny, stepsister Gracie, and Elizabeth. Grandparents David and Kari Olsen and Darrell Thornton. Nieces, Amellia, Drew, and Ivy. There is a visitation scheduled for Friday, July 16th, 2021 from 6 – 8 pm at the LDS Church in Lima and funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, July 17th, 2021 at 11 am at the high school gymnasium at the Lima School. There is a guestbook available online at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.