Nancy L. Thornton

Nancy Louise Archer Thornton went to be with her Lord and Savior on April 3, 2025. Nancy was born in Tacoma, Washington, on December 9, 1932, the sixth of nine children born to Cleo Donaldine Montaney and Rex Winslow Archer. Nancy loved being part of a large family. Nancy's brother Bob introduced her to his army buddy, Glen Thornton, and they married on June 8, 1957. Together, they raised four children, Paula, Joseph, Thomas and John. As a young person, Nancy wrote in the front of her Bible: "Only one life, how soon it will pass; only what's done for Christ will last." Nancy lived by this motto her entire life. She loved being a wife and mother, and taught her children the Scriptures and about Jesus from the time they were very small. She was a "prayer warrior," and prayed about everything, large or small. Nancy had a sunny personality and always sang as she went about her daily tasks. Even when dementia limited her mental abilities near the end of her life, she would say, "We are so blessed. We have so much to be thankful for." Nancy and Glen both had the gift of hospitality and were always entertaining people in their home, including ladies' groups, guests for Sunday dinner, missionaries, friends and relatives for overnight stays, and at annual "corn feeds" for their church. Nancy and Glen also loved to travel. They traveled extensively in the United States and in Canada, Central and South America, many countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Egypt. Nancy was always game to do anything that Glen wanted to try. She would say, "We're a team, G.T." In the 1970s, they started Thorntons' Treeland, a Christmas tree farm that is still in existence today. Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Helen Peterson, her brothers, James Archer and Robert Archer, and her nephew, Thomas Archer. She is survived by her husband, Glen Thornton, her daughter, Paula Perkins (John), her sons, Joseph Thornton (Denise), Thomas Thornton (Deanne), and John Thornton (Alyssa); her grandchildren, Peter Thornton, Sarah Baughman, Grace Thornton, Jonathan Thornton, Daniel Thorn, Olivia Curran, Joshua Thornton, Benjamin Thornton, Matthew Thornton, Lucy Meiners, Jacob Thornton, Teddy Thornton and Dolly Thornton; and great- grandchildren Alice Thornton, Micah Baughman, Chloe Baughman, Ruthie Thornton, Ezra Curran, Eloise Curran, Elijah Thornton, Josiah Baughman, Miriam Thornton, Maverick Curran, Lennon Thornton, Milo Curran and Wells Thornton. Nancy is also survived by her sisters, Mollie Strawn (Russell), Joan Smith, Eunice Hammerstrom and Janice Archer, by her brother, Dennis Archer, and by many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 a.m. on June 28, 2025, at Glenwood Community Church, 12201 NE 72 nd Ave, Vancouver, WA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Gideons International, sendtheword.org, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, D.C., 20090-7251; Child Evangelism Fellowship, cefclarkcounty.org, 1400 NE 136 th Ave., Suite 201, Vancouver, WA, 98684; or the charity of your choice.

Nancy L. Thornton

December 9, 1932 - April 3, 2025