Our Mother, Catherine Elizabeth Thornton, went to be with her Lord and Savior on November 5, 2010 after a valiant battle with cancer. Mother was born on May 31, 1924 in Cross Junction, Virginia to Clarence Franklin Thompson and Lila Virginia (Scrivener) Thompson.

Mother graduated from Martinsburg High School in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Afterward she attended King's Daughter Hospital Nursing School in Martinsburg, West Virginia where she discovered her life's calling of caring for others. Mother worked as a registered nurse for Dr. H. H. Thornton in Trinity, Texas. Later, she worked for Groveton Nursing Home in Groveton, Texas as Director of Nurses and as Charge Nurse.

Mother married the love of her life, R. C. Thornton, on November 16, 1945. They were blessed with three wonderful daughters, Linda, Beth, and Kathy. R.C. and Elizabeth were married 55 years at the time of R.C.'s death in 2001.

Mother was a devout Christian, and a member of the Sebastopol Congregational Methodist Church. She served as Secretary-Treasurer for many years. She also served as President of the Women's Missionary Society.

Mother was preceded in death by her husband, R. C. Thornton; her father and mother, Clarence Franklin Thompson and Lila Virginia (Scrivener) Thompson; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Eva Mae and Clinton Thornton; and her stepfather, L. Vernon Brown.

Mother is survived by daughter, Beth Thornton of Chita; daughters and sons-in-law, Kathy and Ronnie McCarty of Woodlake and Linda and Everett Rhodes of Lufkin; grandchildren, Lisa McCarty of Lufkin and DeLynne and Wesley Higginbotham of Conroe; sister, June Deuell of Falling Waters, West Virginia and her sons, Senator Bob Deuell, M.D. and family of Greenville, Texas and Rick Deuell and family of Martinsburg, West Virginia; sister-in-law, Grace Kantz of Conroe; brother-in-law, Haron Thornton of Chita; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jimmy and Frances Thornton of Chita and Henry and Ginger Thornton of Chita; and a host of family and friends.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in the Groveton Funeral Home Chapel in Groveton, Texas. Burial will be in the Chita Cemetery in Trinity County. Bro. Ned Chipley, Bro. Bob Whitehead and Bro. Max Wells will officiate.

Pallbearers will be Wesley Higginbotham, Senator Bob Deuell, M.D., Rick Deuell, Steve Thornton, Glenn Ray Thornton, and Scott Thornton.

Family and friends are invited to visit with the family from 6 to 8:30 pm, Monday evening at the Groveton Funeral Home.

Groveton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Please sign the guestbook on our website at www.grovetonfuneralhome.com