Mary Jane Thornton

Mary Jane Thornton, age 92, of Altus, Arkansas, died, Thursday, October 3, 2024 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was born November 10, 1931 in Paris, Arkansas to Edward Aloysius Leding and Josephine Keller Leding. Mary Jane was of the Catholic faith. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church of Altus and a member of the St. Mary’s Quilting club. Mary Jane was an alumna of St. Scholastica High School and earned an associate’s degree from Westark Community College. As an avid crafter and a life-long learner, Mary Jane also took many community adult education classes on a variety of topics over the years, trying her hand at basket-making, chair-caning, knitting, crocheting, watercolor, oil painting, canning, soap-making, sewing, and quilting. In addition to being a devoted mother, daughter, wife, sister, aunt, and grandmother, Mary Jane worked as a telephone operator and in various civil service jobs. Mary Jane is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leonard Allen Thornton; one son, John Davies; two brothers, Jack Leding and Edward Leding II; and one sister, Patricia Leding Browning. Mary Jane is survived by two daughters, Mary Clark and husband Caleb of Fayetteville and Catherine Farris of South Carolina; two sons, Mark Davies of Fort Smith, Arkansas and Stephen Davies of Florida; one sister, Diana Tullis and husband Eddie of Tulsa, Oklahoma; seven grandchildren; and four great grandchildren. Rosary will be 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at Shaffer Funeral Home, 2315 West Commercial Street in Ozark. Funeral service will be 2:00 P.M., Thursday, October 10, 2024 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 5118 St. Mary’s Lane in Altus, Arkansas, with Father Polycarp SSebbowa officiating, with burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery Kern Street in Paris, Arkansas, under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home. Serving as pallbearers will be Mike Friloux, Eddie Tullis, Chris Lowers, Caleb Clark, Greg Leding, and Rick Sharum. **A meal for family and friends will be at St. Mary’s Hall at 12:30 P.M. on Thursday, October 10, 2024 before the Funeral. To leave an online memorial visit www.shafferfuneralhomeweb.com

Mary Jane Thornton

November 10, 1931 - October 3, 2024