June 2, 1934 – March 17, 2013

GLOSTER— Services for Ruby Kathryn Dawson Thornton, 78, of Gloster, who died Sunday, March 17, 2013, at her daughter’s residence near Gloster, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Brown Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Gary Bowlin and the Rev. Robert Toney officiating.

Burial will follow at New Hope Cemetery near Gloster under the direction of Brown Funeral Home in Gloster.

Visitation will be at 6 p.m. today until service time Wednesday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Thornton was born June 2, 1934, the daughter of Luther Harper Dawson and Ruby Whittington Dawson. She helped her husband and her daughter run their respective businesses and was a homemaker.

Mrs. Thornton was a member of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church near Gloster and attended Zion Hill Baptist Church near Liberty.

She was a loving mother and grandmother and loved her family dearly. She had a number of friends and lived life to the fullest.

Mrs. Thornton was preceded in death by her parents; the father of her children, Pete Brantley; her husband, Lamar Thornton; five brothers, Mann Dawson, Roger Dawson, Wilmer Dawson, Eugene “Boy” Dawson and Billy Dawson; and three sisters, Lazelle Boykin, Lexie Whittington and Vassar Boykin.

Survivors include three daughters, Glenda Mizell and husband, Denis, Charlotte Ravencraft and Wesley Sterling, and Darlene Thornton and husband, Robert, all of Gloster; one sister, Evelyn Havard of Centreville; five grandchildren, Melanie Brantley Netterville and husband, Chuck, April Ravencraft Pullen and husband, Bill, Shuna Mizell, Brantley Ravencraft and wife, Sarah, and Lyndsey Thornton; five great-grandchildren, Ashley Netterville, Beau Pullen, Seth Pullen, Denslea Kate Mizell and Presley Ravencraft; three special friends, Terry Day, Wendy Aaron and Felicia Partin; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Robert Thornton, Brantley Ravencraft, Chuck Netterville, Joey Mark Dawson, Dean Ash, Nathan Huff, Kyle Towles, Keith Ravencraft, Jerry Boykin and Jennings Freeman.

Honorary pallbearers will be D.D. Dawson, Gary Whittington, Tony Dawson, Sammy Whittington and Loren Nelson.