Virginia Roberta Faulkner

Virginia Roberta Thornton (née Faulkner) (1934–2017) was an American woman known for her role as the mother of actor, filmmaker, and musician Billy Bob Thornton.

She was born on August 18, 1934, in Alpine, Clark County, Arkansas, to Claude David Faulkner and Maude May Faulkner. Growing up in Arkansas, she came from a modest family and shared close ties with her siblings, including John Don Faulkner and Fairy Davis Sanders.

Virginia married William “Billy Ray” Raymond Thornton (1929–1974), a high school history teacher and basketball coach. Together they raised several children, including Billy Bob Thornton, who went on to become a celebrated Hollywood figure, and Jimmy Don Thornton, a songwriter whose music was later recorded by his brother.

She was known as a self-proclaimed psychic, a role that shaped how many in her community perceived her. Despite living outside the spotlight, her life and influence were central to her children’s upbringing and their later successes in the arts.

Virginia Roberta Thornton passed away on July 29, 2017, at the age of 82. Her legacy continues through her children and the enduring cultural contributions of her family.