Lillie Doris Rogers Thorne

On Saturday, January 15, 2022, Lillie Doris Rogers Thorne returned home to be reunited with her husband and siblings after two years of failing health at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living facility in Raleigh, NC.

Known as Doris to family and her friends at Northside Baptist Church where she was a member for approaching 60 years, Doris was born to John Benjamin Rogers and Olive Mabel Boiter Rogers in Mecklenburg County, NC. She was the middle child, with two older and two younger brothers and one older and one younger sister, all but one of whom preceded her to a finer place.

Doris spent the majority of her early life and early schooling in Cowpens, SC, and graduated third in her high school class in Chesnee, SC with trophies for her English and science grades.

After graduating from Winthrop College (as it was known then) in Rock Hill, SC, Doris taught school in Grover, NC for two years before marrying a high school friend, John Clellan Thorne, with whom she had developed a relationship while he was serving in the Korean conflict.

Following their marriage in 1952 John and Doris moved to Clemson, SC, where John graduated from Clemson University in 1955 with a degree in Electrical Engineering; during this time the first of their four children was born. Upon John’s graduation they moved to Burlington where Doris managed their growing household and enjoyed her interests in flower gardening, bird watching and reading. John spent his career working at Western Electric and left to prepare her place in the Lord’s house in 1994.

Doris is survived by her remaining brother and sister-in-law, Melvin and Emilie Rogers, of Boiling Springs, SC. Surviving children and grandchildren are: Daughter, Rebecca Lynn Thorne Bowman and grandsons, Daniel Jefferson Bowman and Michael Jameson Bowman of Houston, TX; Daughter, Rose Marie Thorne Gray of Port Orange, FL; Son, Roger W. Thorne of Burlington and grandson, John W. T. Thorne of Apex, NC; Daughter and son-in-law Lillie Renee Thorne Ayers and Bryan Davis Ayers and grandchildren, A. Conor Ayers, Lillie Bryanne Ayers and Emma Caitlyn D. Ayers of Raleigh, NC, and grandson, J. Cameron Ayers of Kernersville, NC.

The family will receive family and friends on Sunday, January 23rd from 2:00 pm -3:30 pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St. Raleigh, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Northside Fellowship, 513 Homewood Ave. Burlington, NC 27217.