(Longtime Resident Of Montpelier)
Patricia Thornton died peacefully on Aug. 9 at her Florida home in the company of family and those who cared deeply about her.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Louis Thornton, who passed away in November of last year.
She is survived by her four children: Patrick, of Richmond, Virginia; John, of New Orleans, Louisiana; Dan (Raymond), of Carrboro, North Carolina; and Sarah (Victor) of Brooklyn, New York; and granddaughter, Hallie, of Richmond, Virginia.
In addition, she is survived by two of her 10 siblings (Bob Ethridge of Sumter, South Carolina, and Charlotte Ethridge of Reno, Nevada) and numerous nieces and nephews. Originally from Warsaw, Kentucky, she was a longtime resident of Montpelier, Ohio.
She worked for many years as an RN at Bryan Hospital and oversaw staff development at Hillside Country Living before retiring in the early 1990s.
She was committed to her chosen profession of nursing and took great pride in caring for others. Longtime “Florida snowbirds,” she and her husband sold their beloved farm in 2019 and settled thereafter at their second home in Belleview, Florida.
Patricia had a determined spirit: she left home at 18, put herself through nursing school, taught herself to drive on the way out of the car dealership and she ensured that her younger brothers and sisters got a leg up in life.
She was her kids’ biggest cheerleader, faithfully attending their high school cross country, track and swim meets, wrestling matches and musical and theater performances.
She overcame hardship, endured heartbreaking tragedy and defied cancer. Her worldview was expansive, generous and accepting, and everyone loved her for it.
She, in turn, loved, in no particular order: her family and friends, her caregivers, cigarettes and instant coffee, Barack Obama, singing in the choir at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the neighborhood cats, Seinfeld episodes, Wendy’s Frosties, songs by John Denver and a good nap. She could play piano beautifully and completely by ear. She was kind and thoughtful and touched many lives.
She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. A memorial service will be held at a later date.