Marion Thornton

Marion Osborne Thornton passed away on March 31, 2017. She was born on August 12, 1934 in Greensboro, NC to the late Robert L. and Theresa P. Osborne. She was a member of Sardis Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC and formerly First Presbyterian Church of Palatka, Florida.

Marion graduated from Greensboro Senior High School in 1952. She graduated “cum laude” with a B.A. degree in 1956 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (then Woman’s College) with a major in Spanish and a minor in English. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Delta Phi (National Spanish Honor Society). In 1962 she received her M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also studied at the University of Madrid, Spain.

Marion taught one year at Greensboro Senior High and three years in Pensacola, Florida. The remainder of her teaching career was spent at South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, NC. After her retirement in 1986, she married Henry G. Thornton and moved to Palatka, Florida. For ten years she was an adjunct instructor in Spanish at St. John’s River Community College in Palatka. After her husband’s death in 2006, she returned to Charlotte in 2007.

During her teaching years she traveled extensively. One highlight was taking students to Spain at spring break. Her life was blessed and enriched by the many cats and several dogs she had as part of her “furry family” over the years. None were more special though than her beloved “Scamper”, “Freddie”, “Roscoe” and “Max”.

She is survived by her cousins Lee Pearson of Fairhope, Alabama, Dr. Ellyn Mullis (Brad) of Statesville, NC and her sister in law Lynn Thornton of Spencer, NC.

Kind appreciation to Novant Health Matthews Doctors, Nurses, CNA’s and Hospice for their kind caring for Mrs. Thornton during her last days. A special thanks to the Marion’s friends and cousin Ellyn for their love and support during her struggle with C.O.P.D…”God is our strength”.

Visitation will take place on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at McEwen Funeral Service, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte beginning at 10:30am. Funeral Service will follow at 11:00am. Burial will take place at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Greensboro, NC.

Memorials may be sent to the Humane Society of Northeast Florida, 112 Norma St., Hollister, FL 32148, The Humane Society of Charlotte, 2700 Toomey Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28203 or Sardis Presbyterian Church, 6100 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC 28270, and First Presbyterian Church, 123 Second Ave., Palatka, FL 32177.

Arrangements under the direction of McEwen Funeral Services, Charlotte, NC.