On June 2, 2017, our sweet mother, wife, grandmother, sister, and aunt slipped gracefully and peacefully from this life and into eternity. Shirley Rae Coombs Thornton Williams blessed the lives of many with her love, strong spirit, charity, service and her valiant life as a disciple of Christ. She was born to Kenneth E. Coombs and Lavern Hales Coombs on May 14, 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She was the second child in a loving and closely knit family of 10, fondly known as the Big 10, and attended South High and University of Utah. She fell in love and married her sweetheart, Wayne E. Thornton in the Salt Lake Temple on November 5, 1948. Together they devotedly shared 42 loving years together raising 7 children, and enjoying many exciting adventures together. In 1980, Shirley and Wayne embarked on a bold and enterprising adventure that would deeply impact not only theirs and their family's lives, but thousands of others. They, with their partners Joyce and Warren Barnes, developed and built a beautiful timeshare resort, in Mazatl√°n, Mexico called The Inn at Mazatl√°n. Shirley's impeccable, tasteful decorating flair was showcased in every aspect of the Inn, and her warm charming people skills endeared her to both owners and staff. Countless wonderful and fond memories were made there and shared with many. On May 27, 1990, she was the sole survivor of a small plane crash that took the life of her beloved husband and their friends the Carrigans.
On October 18, 1995 she married her second sweetheart, Rex W. Williams, and together they shared 22 years of happiness, travel and experiences, including serving with her husband as they presided over the MTC in Provo Utah in 1996. The family wishes to offer our profound gratitude for Rex\s remarkable devotion, and tender loving care of Mom that added quality and length in the last years of her life.
Mom was a classy, beautiful, gracious lady who leaves a legacy of love, hope, faith, family and friends, as well as an unwavering testimony of the gospel and love of our Heavenly Father and Savior. We are grateful for her life, and will greatly miss her.
During the closing years of her life, Alzheimer's slowly clouded her mind but she preserved the same cheerful, upbeat, "meant to be" disposition that was the hallmark of her life. Throughout it all, she traveled the journey of this disease with grace, dignity and love.
The family would like to thank Tiala Tupolo for the 21/2 years of loving ministering she gave Mom, as well as the staff of Cottonwood Place Senior Living and Brighton Hospice for their compassionate care.
Shirley is survived by her husband, Rex Williams, Christine Thornton; Scott Thornton (Betsy); Kurt Thornton; Jill Sheldon; Greg Thornton; Joni Weseloh (Christopher); 17 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. Preceded in death by her parents, husband Wayne E. Thornton, son Cary C. Thornton, brother Lynn Coombs.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org
Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 pm, at the Garden Heights Ward, 2220 E. Fisher Lane, Salt Lake City, Utah 84109. Funeral services at the same location Friday, June 9, 2017, at 11:00 am with visitation from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Interment at the Memorial Holladay Park, 4900 S Memory Lane, Holladay, UT 84117.
