Obituary: Gertrude I. (Silver) Thornton, Real Estate Agent

Obituary from Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home.

Gertrude I. (Silver) Thornton, 96, of Peabody, died at home on Friday March 6th. She was born on March 31, 1918, the daughter of Franklin and Louise (Day) Silver. The loving wife of the late John J. Thornton, she was raised in Lynn, graduated from Lynn English High School in 1936. She lived with her family for many years in Saugus and worked as a real estate agent before retiring with her husband to Dracut and Deerfield Beach, FL.

Gertrude’s greatest joy in life was her family. Visits with her loving grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandson have been the highlight of her days throughout more than 50 years. She was an enthusiastic sports fan and spent many hours at her grandchildren’s games. She enjoyed many years of golf, playing into her eighties. Gertrude loved playing cards; she was an accomplished gardener, and an avid reader. She was an able and talented writer of short stories and poems, many of which were keyed to family and children.

In addition to her loving husband of more than 47 years, she was predeceased by her brothers Gordon, Frank and Lester Silver, her sisters, Etta and Frances, half-siblings Ivan and Myrtle and son-in-law Richard Corcoran, late husband of Carolyn (Thornton) Corcoran.

She is survived by her two daughters, Bette Andre and her husband Jack of Peabody and Carolyn Corcoran of Rowley; her son John J. Thornton, Jr and his wife Mary of Naples, FL, grandchildren, Michael and Risa Andre of Dracut, Stephen and Ellen Andre of Chelmsford, T.J. and Marylou Andre of Needham, Patrick and Cathy Andre of Hamilton, Christopher and Mette Andre currently residing in Istanbul, Turkey, Patricia (Thornton) Campanile and husband Phil of Mansfield, Theresa (Thornton) Birmingham and husband Brian of Peabody, Pamela Thornton of Stoneham, Nancy (Thornton) Manning and husband John of Peabody, Kathleen (Corcoran) Diamond and husband Tony of Hamburg, NY, Colleen (Corcoran) Ferrarini and husband Tom of Haverhill, and Sean Corcoran and Terrance Corcoran of Rowley. In addition she leaves 17 great grandchildren and a 5th generation great-great grandson.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St, Peabody and her Funeral Service will be held on Thursday at 11:00 AM at the funeral home to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Lake St., Peabody. In lieu flowers, donations can be made in her name to Care Dimensions 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.