12/11/2002
Funeral services for Helen (Glover) Thornton, 88, of Knoxville, who died Wednesday,
Dec. 11, 2002, at Knoxville Area Community Hospital, were held Friday, Dec. 13, at
Williams Funeral Home in Knoxville. Rev. Peter J. Peterson officiated at the services.
Barb Marvelli was the vocalist accompanied by Darlene Mooberry, the organist.
Interment was at Graceland Cemetery. Casketbearers were Lyle Harvey, Randy Roberts,
Rick Roberts, Don Rodgers, Harvey Sprafka, and Ken Woody.
Helen was born on April 29, 1914, in Knoxville, the daughter of Jessie Louise Miller
and Charles Glover. She graduated from Knoxville High School in 1933.
On February 5, 1969, she married George Edward Thornton in Las Vegas, Nev.
Helen worked as a cashier for 28 years at the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland,
Calif., between 1942 and 1970. Helen and George moved back to Knoxville after Helen
retired in 1970.
Helen was a gentle, gracious, kind, and fun-loving person. She enjoyed shopping,
crocheting afghans, cooking, and social activities with other people.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the Knoxville Area Community
Hospital Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three husbands, Cecil Blair, Judson John
Joyce and George Edward Thornton; and 10- 10-year-old brother, Billy, in 1928.
She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Robert Cardwell of Fenton,
Mo.; a son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Dani Joyce of Fremont, Calif.: a grandson
and his wife, Kelly and Sarah Cardwell of Cambridge, Mass.; a granddaughter and
her husband, Kristy and Jason Mitchell of St. Louis, Mo.; a great-grandson, John
Cardwell of Cambridge, Mass.; and two step-daughters, Ms. Marion Weber of New Kensington,
Pa. and Ms. Grace Portman of Orlando, Fla.
Memorials may be made to the Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden and Knoxville Area Community
Hospital Auxiliary.
Arrangements were made by Williams Funeral Home.