Marjorie Ruth (Devault) Thornton |
| Posted 2016-12-03 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Sunday, November 20, 2016, page 8a My grandmother passed away on November 14, 2016. No disease, no sickness, just 103 years of life. Marjorie Ruth DeVault was born to David and Lulu May on September 12th, 1913, in Flushing, Ohio, a small town 20 miles from the Ohio River and West Virginia state line. Marjorie was the second of two children, 16 years younger than her sister Martha. The DeVaults lived a quiet life as their girls grew up. Marjorie loved school, and especially reading, which she enjoyed her entire life. She was also fond of sewing, and after finishing school, was employed at the Sewing Center in Flushing. Marjorie married Ralph Walter Thornton on September 19th, 1936. The local newspaper in Wellsburg, West Virginia wrote that day: “Mrs. Thornton was attired in a navy blue tailored net with white accessories. Immediately following the ceremony the young couple returned to Flushing where they have a home in readiness...”. Their first child Virginia (my mother) was born in early 1938. Two years later, to the date, twins Bonnie and Barbara were born. Marjorie and Ralph’s family was now complete – three girls all with the same birthday – March 2nd. For the next 14 years Marjorie’s days were filled with homemaking, raising her daughters, socializing with neighbors, and caring for Ralph when he returned each day from the Deep Shaft mine, near Cadiz, where he worked as a mechanic. But as the years passed, the hard life of a miner and the cold, damp climate of Ohio, took its toll on Ralph’s health. With the urging of his doctor and relatives, Ralph and Marjorie sold their home and all of its contents. They packed up their car, a small trailer, and their three teenage daughters. It was the summer of 1953. (I remember my mother explaining how hard it was as a 16-year old to leave home, belongings and friends.) But where were they headed? This family of five had no idea, except that life was going to be better out west. When they reached New Mexico, they considered several small towns as a place to settle. But after a few days in each, they decided to keep traveling west. While on the road they heard good things about an Arizona town called Mesa. Once they arrived, it didn’t take but a week before they felt this was a place they could call home. Ralph immediately purchased a gas station, and Marjorie, who no longer had small children to look after, decided to go back to school. A hairdresser, she became! Marjorie was delighted with her new, part-time occupation. When her girls were at school, Marjorie enjoyed not only making the women of downtown Mesa elegant and fashionable (remember the beehive…), but being at the very hub of the local gossip network. Marjorie always loved people, so for the next 15 years this Buckeye shared her good-natured cheeriness with every woman who sat under her adorning scissors. By the late 1960s things were getting a bit crowded in the sprawling suburbia of metro Phoenix. All the Thornton girls were now married and had families of their own. It was time to find a more compact abode away from all the hustle and bustle. But family was important, including their ever growing brood of grandchildren. Three of those little ones, including me, were now living in the pines of Prescott, as Virginia had relocated her family there in 1967. The charm of the mile-high town reminded Marjorie and Ralph of Flushing and in 1968 they bought a small place just outside The Mountain Club. It didn’t take long before Marjorie had found friends, and many of them. She was very active in The Mountain Club social scene for 30 years and especially enjoyed the regular women’s gatherings at the Clubhouse. As a 7-year old in 1968 it was a huge blessing to now have my grandparents just a 5-minute walk away. This meant that I paid them a visit almost daily and was always received as a special guest. A grilled-cheese sandwich, hot chocolate and cinnamon toast were often served as I sat at their kitchen table, being asked what I had learned at school that day or what my plans were for the weekend. As I got older, my conversations with Grandma were an important part of my teenage years. She was never afraid to address any issue or topic, but at the same time I knew when I had pushed her out of her comfort zone. She rarely got irritated or angry as she was always more occupied with the positive things in life. When interviewed by the Daily Courier on her 101st birthday, she was asked what the secret was to a long life. “Eat whatever you want and laugh a lot!”, she replied. For the last seven years, Marjorie lived at Hidden Oasis, a small, assisted care home in Prescott Valley, where she was loved and cared for. Marjorie’s Ralph passed away in 1985, and their three daughters during 2014-15. Marjorie is survived by her 9 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She will be missed and remembered fondly! By Bryce Bennett, Marjorie’s oldest grandchild. |
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