Linda Hooper Thornton
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Linda Hooper Thornton, 88, finished her race and went to heaven with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ May 3rd, 2022.
A celebration of her life will be held Thursday, May 12th, 1:30 p.m., in the Grace Church chapel, Wichita Falls, Texas, Dr. Lance Bourgeois and Reggie Coe officiating. A graveside service will be held Friday, May 13th, 1:45 p.m., at Westlawn Memorial Park in Borger.
Linda Caroline was born to Edward Kelly Turner and Muriel Wilson Turner March 19th, 1934, in Ardmore, Oklahoma. She married her high school sweetheart Stanley Joe Hooper in 1951. She graduated from Borger High School in 1952. Linda majored in art while attending West Texas State University in Canyon. She always considered Canyon her home and never lost her love for it and the Panhandle and the wonderful friends she made there. She graduated from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education.
Her greatest passion in life was Jesus Christ, and she was His committed disciple. Linda was a devout student of God's Word. Her husband Joe worked at West Texas State University and Midwestern State University, and she faithfully worked alongside him ministering to and teaching the Bible to college students from the 1950's to 1984. Linda began a Bible study for women in her home in the 1970's, faithfully continuing it until 2018. She taught the Bible to, and ministered to her family of Christian sisters in the women's Adult Bible Fellowship at Grace Church from the 1990's to 2019. She was a dedicated prayer warrior, being faithful to pray for people in need. It brought her great joy to minister to people by taking them flowers or her famous rolls.
Linda was a talented artist, specializing in watercolor painting and copper enameling. Her art was displayed in several galleries throughout the southwest. She was a skilled gardener, well-known for her beautiful flower garden, even winning some awards for her beloved irises. Linda loved sharing her flowers with other people, and teaching them about gardening. She was an accomplished photographer, winning awards for some of her photos.
She was an avid snow skier, continuing to ski until she was in her 70's. She loved to fish, and one of her favorite pastimes was fishing for trout in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. Linda loved the southwestern United States and touring historical sites.
Linda was preceded in death by her husband Joe in 1990, her daughter Deborah in 1951, her son Kenton in 1961, and her son Kelly in 2003. She married Floyd Thornton, O.D., in 2001, and they loved traveling together. Floyd preceded her in death in 2018.
Second only to her love for Jesus Christ, Linda cherished her family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Leah Walker of Wichita Falls, her brother E. W. "Butch" Turner of Borger, her grandchildren Joe Edward Hooper of Fort Worth, Texas, Kali Walker of Austin, Texas, and Broday Walker and his wife Melissa of White Settlement, Texas, niece Katie Francis and husband Brad of Borger, nephew Colby Turner of Austin, and many great-nieces, great-great nephews, and cousins.
Donations in honor of Linda may be made to Grace Church, Wichita Falls, Texas.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnscolonial.com