Jane Thornton, a resident of Dothan, AL, went home to be with Jesus on Friday, April 19, 2024. She was born on June 14, 1951, to Dr. William Chester Smith and Gladys Beaty Smith.
Funeral services were held Sunday, April 21, 2024 in the Chapman Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Ken Bush officiating. Burial followed in the Fairview Cemetery Addition in Eufaula. A visitation was held prior to the service at 1 P.M.
Jane graduated from Louisville High School in 1969, Bauder College in fashion Merchandising and Finishing School in Atlanta in 1970, and The University of Montevallo in 1974, with a bachelor’s in science degree in Family & Consumer Science and a minor in Art.
Her employment years were at Zion Chapel High School in Jack, AL; Barbour County Area Vocational School in Clayton, AL; Director/teacher of First Baptist Church Preschool Program in Eufaula; and followed by the years at Kent-Thornton Funeral Home in Dothan until her retirement.
She was preceded in death by her parents -inlaw, Dr. Grover Cleveland and Lavinia Bishop Thornton and by her husband, Scott Vaughn Thornton in 1996, who at the young age of 44 died due to his service to our country in Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
As a result of this, Jane authored a book, “In Harms Way, The Returning Veteran,” which so fortunately went on to help win many other veterans their earned benefits while struggling with formerly denied claims with the Veterans Administration.
She is survived by her loving, supportive children; daughter Chesley Thornton Sullivan and husband Trey and her son Clayton Vaughn Thornton and wife Ashlee; her precious grandchildren, who lovingly called her “Ghee”; Adalyn Sullivan, Jordan Seagers, Henry Seagers, and Noah Thornton.
Other immediate family includes a sister Charlotte Snead (Dan); niece Nikki Brown (Garth), Kathryn Dobes and Carrie Ashlee (Blake); nephew Jason Snead; brothers -in-law Cleveland Thornton (Judith) and Fletcher Thornton (Suzanne); great nephews Thornton Dobes and Grant Dobes; great niece Bishop Ashbee.
The family of Jane Thornton wishes to express their gratitude to her team of cancer physicians in Dothan and especially to Gentiva Hospice of Dothan for their compassion and dedication.
In lieu of flowers , the family request donations be made to First Baptist Church of Eufaula, 125 South Randolph Ave., Eufaula, Alabama, 36027, where they worshipped as a family unit in early years.
