Marie Cooper-Thornton

Ms. Marie Thornton was born on May 22, 1950 in Phoenix, AZ. She was the youngest daughter of Clarence and Bessie Cooper. She grew up in Goodyear, Arizona; where she attended Avondale Elementary. She graduated in 1968 from Agua Fria High School and took some courses at Arizona State University.

On July 17, 1971 Marie married James W. Thornton from Phoenix, AZ and through their unity they had four children Tracy, Denise, Daniel Thornton, Cremella Jackson and prior to their marriage James had a daughter Brenda Woods-Jackson. Marie was a homemaker for 15years; after her mother’s passing in 1985 she began working. In 1986 Marie was hired at Kmart working in the infant’s wear department as a retail clerk. In 1988 Marie accepted a clerical position with the Arizona State Department of Corrections and a year later she accepted a new position with the Arizona Office of Special Investigation, As an Information Specialist where she worked with finger printing. In this position she became a supervisor and was a fingerprint trainer for different state departments. Marie retired from the state in 2012 after 25 years of service.

Marie was raised in church, at the age of 4 until the age of 12; she attended The Mennonite church in Buckeye, AZ. This is where she learned all the children’s stories of the bible and where she learned her favorite song “Yes Jesus Love Me.” When The Mennonite church closed, she became a member of the Church Of God In Christ under the leadership of Overseer Elder Wise Jones. At the age of 13, Marie accepted the Lord into her heart as her personal savior and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. In 1979, Marie left her childhood church to support her husband as he was called into the music ministry and appointed a deacon at the Miracle Church of God in Christ. Marie was a very dedicated and faithful member of Miracle Church of God in Christ. She was involved in the church functioning; she worked with the youth as the choir director, assisted with maintenance on the church building, organized fundraisers and programs and was well known for being the Sunday school teacher.

Some may not know, but Marie had many talents. Most of us know that she was a great cook and hairdresser; she did many families and friend’s hair. But some of you don’t know that she was an artist; she did a lot of drawing on her spare time. She was a seamstress; there were times she made her own clothes, suit jackets for her husband and even made clothes for other family members. Marie was a poet; she would keep a small notebook of poems she wrote but didn’t share them with many people. She was also a singer; in the 80’s she sung with a group call the Miracle Angels, where she was well known for singing the song “Give Me A Star” by Edwin Hawkins. She also enjoyed working alongside of her husband doing home improvement projects.

There are so many things we can say we enjoy about Marie; she had a kind personality, very friendly, respectful, she was easy to talk to, understanding, humorous, giving, loving and strong. She was a Godly woman and was a great person to talk to about God and the bible. Marie was a “One of a kind Woman”, she touched many lives and she will be deeply missed.

Marie Thornton is preceded in death by her parents Clarence (1981) and Bessie Cooper (1985), Sister Mabel Cooper, two brothers Clarence Jr. (2005) and J.W. Cooper (2015), husband James W Thornton (2009) and stepdaughter Brenda L Woods-Jackson (2019). She leaves to cherish her memories, two sons Tracy W., and Daniel W. Thornton of Phoenix, AZ, two daughters Denise L. Thornton, Cremella L. Jackson and son-in-law James Jackson of Phoenix, AZ, four grandsons and four granddaughters of Phoenix, AZ, seventeen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild of Phoenix, AZ, Sister Mary Ann Reed of Avondale, AZ and Two brothers Jerry and David Cooper of Phoenix, AZ.