Memory Quilt —"Star Memory Quilt"

Honoring, Celebrating, Sharing

This honoree's Memory Quilt square is sponsored by Blank Quilting, who joins The Alliance for American Quilts efforts to preserve the stories of quiltmakers for generations to come. Blank Quilting's Inspiration Guild project is a coming together of dedicated quilters to offer their talent and craft in the fight against ovarian cancer. Every quilt created by the Inspiration Guild bears the name of someone touched by ovarian cancer: a caregiver, victim, a survivor, a fighter. Visit Blank Quilting's website to find out more about this project: www.blankquilting.com

In Honor of Linda Thornton

Loving wife, best friend, partner, companion, wonderful mother and beautiful Nana!

Born in Dallas on January 19, 1956. She is preceded in death by father Bill Davis. She is survived by husband, Ken, mother Sandy, son Chad and wife Vanessa, granddaughters Taylor, Cristen and Madison, Son Jeremy and wife Casey, grandson Jackson granddaughter Elizabeth, brother Ken Davis and wife Kay, nephews Gary and Michael and many, many more family and loved ones.

She was released from her pain and suffering on September 13, 2006.

A pioneer in the Special Events industry, starting in the living room of her two bedroom house in 1980, she fast became a leader and creator in the industry, after many events, planning, decorating and raising two beautiful children. She opened her own company, Fun Factory Events, in 1986 from a small 1000 sq ft building working night and day, weekends and holidays and now today with over 45,000 sq ft of event décor and a second office in San Antonio, she was the best!!! It was through Linda and Ken's triumph, determination and sacrifices that Fun Factory is what it is today. Her clients loved her attention to detail and she was admired by all that worked with her. Always a lady with a Special Smile and no matter what the problem was, she made sure the event went on!

Linda became involved in Meeting Professional International, and was a founding member of the Dallas chapter of ISES International. This last July Linda was honored by the International Special Events Society. ISES inducted the Linda Thornton Scholarship Fund to help it members who wanted to get the CMP or CSEP.

Recognized around the country for her events and awards, Linda always loved to help. She chaired and gave to MPI's Kids Charity ball year after year, donated to Ronald McDonald house and Operation Kindness, later giving everything she could to Gilda's Club of N. Texas and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

She was a sponsor of the NOCC Walk for the Whisper, even when she couldn't. She was there to support her family members who came out to walk. She made sure Fun Factory was available to contribute whatever was necessary to make the walk bigger and better every year. One of Linda's greatest desires was to get the word out about ovarian cancer. She went to conferences to spread the word, gather information and educate herself on the in and outs of this horrible silent disease. Even during her many rounds of chemotherapy she was determined to go to as many doctors' offices as she could to hand out pamphlets from the National Ovarian Cancer Collation. Although she was exhausted and could barley walk, she was determined and passed out many, many pamphlets. She wanted to make others aware and get funding for research for this disease so one day no woman or family had to endure what she did. Linda was so thankful to have found the NOCC during her time of need. They were a support system that understood what she was going through. She cared deeply about the organization and wanted to do everything in her power to promote it and to help it grow.

Linda touched so many lives whether it was through family, work, church, or organizations she belonged to. She wanted dearly to help others in any way she could even through times of great pain. Linda suffered tremendous physical pain the last years of her life, but she tried to always take care of those around her and to keep her wonderful, contagious smile alive. Though she knew the end would come too soon, she never let her spirit leave her, especially when her loving grandchildren were near. "Nana" was the best, most loved person to her grandchildren Taylor, Cristen, Madison, Jackson. Although her newest granddaughter, Elizabeth, was born 5 months after Linda's passing, she too will know the love Linda projected and what a wonderful woman she was. Linda loved her grandchildren and they were a source of inspiration to fight the horrible disease that cut her life too short.

Even as her time on this earth came to an end she carried herself with more grace and elegance than most of us could even in the best of times. For a woman with a larger than life spirit, smile and love for those around her no words can do justice to attest to the person she was. She taught so many how to love and be loved, care for others, and how to be true to yourself at all times. It's been one year since she left this earth, but her presence remains strong to those who love and miss her. Always Smiling, even as she battled the beast, Smiling, that's how she will be remembered and loved!

View the Inspiration Guild quilt made in honor of Linda Thornton including photos of many of the quiltmakers who contributed blocks at http://www.blankquilting.com/inspirationguild/vqjanuary.asp