Louise Thornberry 1912-2003

BURGESON, JOHNSON, THORNBERRY

Posted By: Marguerite (email)
Date: 2/20/2003 at 14:15:30

Iowa City Press Citizen
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Pocahontas, Iowa

IOWA CITY

Louise Thornberry, 90, of 115 Montrose Avenue, Iowa City, died Thursday, February 6, 2003, at Mercy Hospital following a short illness.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 8, 2003, at the Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Avenue, Iowa City, with the Reverend George Patterson officiating. Friends may call after 1:00 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Iowa City. Memorials may be made to the Louise Thornberry Children’s Book Fund. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com .

Louise Thornberry was born July 3, 1912, in Pocahontas County, Iowa, the daughter of Emil V. and Minnie (Burgeson) Johnson. She grew up and was educated in the Pocahontas area, graduating from Pocahontas schools. She received a two-year teaching certificate from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls and taught school for a few years in the Palmer/Pomeroy area in northwestern Iowa. On June 6, 1936, she was united in marriage to Ray Thornberry. In 1940, the couple moved to Iowa City where they made their home and established the Hawkeye Awning Company. Along with working with her husband in the awning business, she was a substitute teacher for the Iowa City Community School District.

Louise was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women. She volunteered at Mercy Hospital, the Iowa City Public Library, and her church, and taught reading to children both in the schools and her home. She felt strongly about voting and never missed an opportunity to do so. She wrote several books about her family, the creation of their business, life’s experiences, and the people with whom she shared her life. She especially enjoyed playing bridge and Scrabble, traveling to Sweden, reading, and walking daily.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ray, daughter-in-law, Charlene Thornberry, five sisters, and three brothers.

She is survived by daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Tom Eversman, Bozeman, Montana; son Dean Thornberry, Iowa City; grandchildren Jennifer Wollschlager, Troy Thornberry, and Jay Eversman; and great granddaughter Isabel Thornberry.