Gayle Thornton, 70, of Middleton, departed this life Sunday, October 14, 2018 at Pine Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Bolivar.
The widow of Billy Wayne Thornton, who preceded her in death on January 5, 2002 after 38 years of marriage, she was a homemaker. She was born Tuesday, December 8, 1947 in Pekin, Illinois, daughter of the late Glenn Edward Duley and Mary Jane Bandy Duley. She married Billy Wayne Thornton on December 19, 1964 and moved to this area in 1979. She enjoyed fishing with her husband and family in her younger years and going to the library to read. Among her hobbies were watching birds, watching cooking shows and walking with her sister. Her family states that she received her greatest pleasure from being around her family and her grandchildren, whom she dearly loved. Mrs. Thornton was a Baptist in faith.
Survivors include a daughter, Jane Sikes (Tim), of Lexington; two sons, Billy Thornton (LaDonna) of Athens and Jason Thornton of Middleton; a sister, Susan Goss (Harry) of Pekin, IL; six grandchildren, Jamie Young (Justin), Jill Hopkins, Ethan Thornton, Dylan Thornton (Crystal), Lauren Thornton (Steven Ibarra) and Reed Sikes; five great grandchildren, Jacob and Levi Young, Kallie and Wiley Thornton and Aspen Ibarra; a niece, Joey DeVore (Tom) of Peoria, IL and 2 aunts, Dorcas Deckard (Fred) of Princeville, IL and Nancy Brownfield of Havana, IL. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by an infant sister, Kathleen Duley. Memorial contributions in her name may be sent to LeBonheur Children's Medical Center (www.lebonheur.org/donate) or to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org/donate).