Linda Sue Thornton

June 21, 1942 - June 30, 2015

Biography Linda Sue Morris Thornton, 73, of Butler, passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at the River Valley Nursing Home in Butler. Born on June 21, 1942 in Pendleton County, KY, she was a daughter of the late Elbert and Gertrude Chiles Morris. On January 4, 1986, she married Ed Thornton, and her dear husband survives her passing. Linda graduated first in her class from Pendleton Memorial High School in 1960, as part of the first graduating class from the school. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with teaching majors in Business Education and Mathematics, graduating “With Distinction”, a Masters Degree with an endorsement in counseling from Georgetown College, a Rank I with endorsement in Instructional Leadership and Principalship from Northern Kentucky University. Between 1964 and 1983, Linda’s life path provided varied experiences serving as a teacher and counselor in school systems in Colorado, Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. She took advantage of the opportunity to complete graduate level coursework at the University of Kentucky, Virginia Polytechnical Institute, the University of Virginia and Radford. In the fall of 1983, she returned to Pendleton County High School as a member of the math department. Complimenting Linda, one of her early supervisors wrote, “(Linda Thornton) is one of the rare “once in a lifetime” variety. She is completely devoted to her profession and to the welfare of the individual student. Although highly talented in her abilities as an instructor, she is never completely satisfied that she has made the ultimate contribution to those in need and in search of greater mathematical skill. She strives constantly to improve her methods to enable her to give more to her students. She personifies the word ‘generosity’ as it might apply to the giving of knowledge.” These words have remained true throughout her career in education. Linda’s responsibilities in the Pendleton County School System grew to include working as a guidance counselor and Assistant Principal. She played a central role in the implementation of Tech Prep, High Schools that Work and School-to-Work, a trio of national programs that revitalized the academic, career, and technical education programs at the high school. Linda coached, motivated, and involved every faculty member in activities promoting “Best Practices” for curriculum and classroom management by developing methods of assessment, coordinating programs for staff development, and securing funding for worthy educational projects. Following her retirement from the Pendleton County School District in 1998, Linda was employed by Gateway Community and Technical College as the first Northern Kentucky Tech Prep Coordinator, and she formed an educational consortium for an eight-county area that included the counties of Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Bracken, Pendleton, Grant, Owen, and Gallatin. Linda was recognized as a leader across the state as she tirelessly worked to strengthen communication between high schools and post-secondary institutions and to develop articulation agreements that would allow high school students to bypass coursework that duplicated learning mastered in high school. Linda helped over one thousand high school students in this region earn college credit for their high school coursework. In addition to her accomplishments as an educator, Linda has worked as a realtor with Century 21 and Re/Max and a business leader in our community. She has served as president of the local Pendleton County Retired Teachers Association, a member of Kentucky Retired Teachers Association Executive Council, where she has represented the Northern Kentucky District for 6 years, treasurer and member of the Falmouth Rotary Club, where she was named a Paul Harris Fellow, a board member for the Pendleton County Education Foundation, and a member of the Pendleton County Alumni Association. Linda is a member of Grant’s Lick Baptist Church, where she has been active with the music program, Sunday School classes, Vacation Bible School, and various church activities. She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Ed Thornton; her sons, Bryan USAFR (Ret.) Major (Dr. Shawn) Nordheim of Butler, KY, Donnie (Paula) Thornton of Butler, KY, and Gregory (Kim) Thornton of Cheviot, OH; 9 grandchildren: Jacob Nordheim, Luke Nordheim, Max Nordheim, Natasha (Mike) Rhoton, Tabatha (Eric) Biddle, Kaitlyn Thornton, Abigail Thornton, Nicholas Thornton, and Emily Thornton; 6 great grandchildren: Ashleigh Rhoton, Rylan Rhoton, Kayda Grace Rhoton, Caleb Biddle, Micah Biddle, and Elias Biddle; one sister, Betty Lou (Donald) Sydnor of Butler, KY; and a host of extended family and friends. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 4, 2015,at the Grant’s Lick Baptist Church, 941 Clay Ridge Road, Alexandria, KY 41001, with Dr. Tom Wilkes, Bro. Mike Flynn, and Bro. Cohen Copley officiating. The visitation will be from 4-8:00 P.M. on Friday, July 3, 2015, at her church. Special music will be shared by her grandchildren, great grandchildren, Joy Cabrera and Rev. Deborah A. Murrell. Serving as pallbearers will be Jacob Nordheim, Luke Nordheim, Max Nordheim, Mike Rhoton, Eric Biddle, Nicholas Thornton, and Mark Sydnor. The honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Falmouth Rotary Club. Interment will take place in the Peach Grove Cemetery with Dr. Tom Wilkes and Dr. Owen and Janice Collins officiating.