Eleanor Ann Roddenberry Thornton, 92, of Bristol, passed away Tuesday evening, May 23, 2023, at the Hospice Satilla Hospice House in Waycross.
Born in Bristol October 5, 1930, she had lived in Bristol all her life. She was a 1949 graduate of Patterson High School. She worked as a beautician for 50 years and loved it along with all of her customers. She was a member of Bristol Baptist Church. Sunday afternoons were spent cooking lunch for her family, which she loved to do for everyone and was extremely good at. She was always up for shopping, camping or just traveling to the mountains. She loved to watch the Georgia Bulldogs and the Atlanta Braves and enjoyed crocheting, reading books about the Amish and listening to country and oldies music. She dearly loved her family and will be missed by all who knew her.
She was a daughter of the late George and Ida Davis Roddenberry. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Willie Nolan “Bill” Thornton; a son, Mickey Thornton; a grandson-in-law, Jason Jordan; all three of her sisters, Christine Roddenberry, Betra Bryant and Nina Bennett and her brother, George Roddenberry Jr.
Survivors include two daughters, Lana (DeWayne) Aldridge and Rosalind (Paul) Inman, all of Blackshear; a son, Kelly (Margo) Thornton, Waycross; daughter-in-law, Mandy Thornton, Bristol; two sisters-in-law who she and her late husband help to raise, Helen Lee, Bristol and Hazel Bowen, Dublin; 13 grandchildren, Misty (Jamey) Perkins, Mickey (Cassie) Thornton, Mary Ann Jordan, Liz (Jason) Yarbrough, Matthew (Taylor) Aldridge, Shane (Rachel) Rountree, Zac Thornton (fiance’ Maygen Peacock), Chris Inman, Logan Inman, Brad Inman, Holly Bagley, Skylar Dixon and Carter Dixon; 10 great-grandchildren, Dalton Purvis, Garrett Thornton (fiance’, Denise), Dillon Perkins, Alli Perkins, Averie Thornton, Hunter Yarbrough, Ty Yarbrough, Savanna Jordan, Hanna Jordan and Kase Aldridge; a great-great-grandchild, Elijah Thornton and several nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m.-noon Friday, May 26, at the Bristol Baptist Church.
Funeral services will be held at noon Friday, May 26, from the Bristol Baptist Church with the Rev. Brett Howell and the Rev. R. C. James officiating.
Interment will be in the Bristol Cemetery.
Members of the Adult Sunday school class are kindly requested to serve as honorary pallbearers and should meet at the church by 11:30 a.m. Friday.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Satilla Hospice House, 811 Beacon St., Waycross, GA 31501 or to the Southeast Cancer Unit, PO Box 667, Blackshear, GA 31516.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online register at www.pearsondial.com.
Pearson-Dial Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of arrangements.
