Obituary of Beulah Fern Thornton

Beulah Fern (Smith) Thornton died April 4, 2014. She was born to Mary Jo and Vernon Smith August 15, 1920 in Froid, Montana. She began a long and fruitful nursing career specializing in geriatric care at age 19. She worked in nursing homes and hospitals and owned and operated an adult family home for 25 years. When she sold her business and moved to Shelton 20 years ago to retire she decided to go back to work because retirement was “making her old.” She returned to work at Alpine Way here in Shelton until she had to quit working for health reasons at age 82. An amazing caregiver who never met a person she didn’t love, she was known as mom or grandma to most everyone who knew her. She loved Jesus and was a devoted child of God, played piano and loved to sing hymns with her family. She also loved to dance, swim, travel and most of all loved all her babies. She loved to laugh and had a mischievous sense of humor that would pop up unexpectedly. Most of all she was an inspiration to all who knew her for her kind heart, non-judgmental nature and her ability to forgive any and all transgressions. Beulah was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Mable Copely, Leatha Meeks, Vi Chapman, and Phoebe Smith, her brothers Alvin, Clarence and John Smith. Her son George Barrett, and daughters Mary LaVonne Rigolo, and Mary Lynn Simpson. She is survived by her husband Earl Thornton, daughters Karen Layman and Lindsay Verville and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held and Gateway Christian Fellowship Friday April 11, at 6:30.