1939 – 2023

Funeral services for Peggy Jane “Janie” Thornton, 84, of Edgewood were held on Monday, Dec 18, 2023, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. Burial followed at Smyrna Cemetery in Emory.

Janie passed away peacefully on Dec. 13, 2023, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Peggy Jane McClendon was born on Oct. 6, 1939, in Madill, Oklahoma, to parents Marvin Kelly Mc-Clendon and Aletha Pearline Bradbeary McClendon. She was raised in Madill and was very proud of where she was from. She later moved to the Oak Cliff area of Texas where she attended school. Janie married early in life and was blessed with her three children, Larry Norman, Michael Norman, and Theresa Norman-Atteberry. She later re-married Edgar Thornton on Oct. 25, 1979, and gained four stepchildren, Vicki, David, Kay, and Russell. They raised their children in Desoto and then made the move to Edgewood in 1989.

Janie was employed as a teller for Desoto Bank, Guaranty Bank, and American National Bank in Canton. She loved to tell the story of how singer Charlie Pride was her banking manager at one time. After she retired from the banking industry, Janie worked as a greeter in the garden center at Walmart in Canton for a short time. Janie was a member of the Round’em Up Cowboy Church in Wills Point. She loved quilting and sewing. She especially loved to make doll clothing.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Aletha McClendon; brother, William Dee McClendon; sisters, Novareese McClendon and Patsy McClendon; granddaughter, Amy Diane Atteberry and numerous aunts and uncles.

Janie is survived by her wonderful best friend and husband, Edgar Thornton of Edgewood; sons, Larry Norman of Rockwall, and Michael Norman of Duncanville; daughter, Theresa Atteberry of Fruitvale; stepchildren, David Thornton of Edgewood, Kay (Aaron) Johnson of Itasca, Vicki Mihelic of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Russell (Cheryl) Thornton of Grand Prairie. Grandchildren, Michael (Mirka) Norman, Jr., Charlie Lewis, Shannon Rogers, Jeff Ferguson, Larry Norman, Jr., Ashley (Amanda) Norman, James (Chelsea) Atteberry, Chad (Renee) Norman, Brian (Rachel) Thornton, Krystle (Lance) Hoop, Traci Thornton, and Elizabeth (Trevor) Harmon, and 19 great-grandchildren, whom she wanted listed by name: Mikey, Mila, Marleigh, Kaylea, Katelyn, Graceynn, Baileynn, Huck, Doc, Garrett, Townes, Peyton, Bryce, Jasee, Presley, Logan, Mary-Margaret, Ransom, and Reed.