Keeauna D. Thornton

Keeauna DeShaun Paschal-Thornton, affectionately known as “Kee” to family and friends, passed away suddenly on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the age of 52. Blessed with a generous heart, a joyful spirit, intelligence, and compassion, Keeauna touched countless lives through her kindness, warmth, and genuine interest in others.

Her Early Years: Keeauna was born on February 3, 1974, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Melvin Thornton and Sharmon Paschal Thornton, at the historic University of Michigan Women’s

Hospital.

After living in Ann Arbor for several months, Keeauna and her mother returned to Dayton, Ohio, where she remained for approximately 15 years. Keeauna later relocated to Arlington, Virginia, with her mother when Sharmon’s career brought her to the

Pentagon.

Keeauna spent much of her childhood in Dayton, Ohio, with a brief period in Ogden, Utah, when her mother worked as a civilian personnel management specialist at Hill Air Force Base. Keeauna was baptized in the Catholic faith at St. Joseph Church in Ogden, Utah, in 1981. They subsequently returned to Dayton, where her mother resumed work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Throughout her childhood, family remained central to Keeauna’s life. Frequent visits to Richmond, Virginia, allowed her to spend cherished time in what became her second home, surrounded by her maternal grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and lifelong family friends.

In Dayton, she enjoyed close relationships with her father, paternal grandmother, great-grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Education and Career: Keeauna attended Miami Valley College Preparatory School in Dayton, Ohio, and Catholic middle school in Richmond, Virginia.

She graduated from Kimball Union Academy, a highly regarded, historic coeducational boarding school in Meriden, New Hampshire, where she also had an uncle, aunt, and cousins nearby.

She later attended Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, pursuing her interests in marketing and retail.

Keeauna’s professional journey began at Nordstrom, where she worked summers while attending college and later served customers in specialized retail departments.

She went on to work at Macy’s and became a store manager for Bath & Body Works.

One of her most significant professional accomplishments was managing the Victoria’s

Secret store on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C., where she supervised more than 30 full-time and part-time employees.

She remained with the company for more than a decade, earning the respect of leadership, colleagues, and customers alike before the brick-and-mortar store closed its

doors.

Later, Keeauna embarked on a second career in hospitality, working as a front desk concierge at The Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia, and subsequently

at residential properties throughout the Washington, D.C., area and Virginia.

She especially enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life. Whether greeting well-known entertainers, assisting residents, or welcoming the pets who insisted on stopping by her desk, Keeauna found genuine pleasure in making others feel recognized and appreciated.

Her professionalism, intelligence, sensitivity, and compassion left lasting impressions

on those fortunate enough to know and work with her.

Her Spirit and Passions: Keeauna was kindhearted, fiercely loyal, creative, thoughtful, and witty. She treasured friendships and family connections and made time to stay in touch, even after long and tiring days.

She had a remarkable appreciation for music across generations and genres. She knew and enjoyed the lyrics to songs from her parents’ era, as well as music from her own generation and contemporary artists.

Keeauna enjoyed concerts, theater, festivals, art, travel, sports, historical places, and visits to historically Black colleges and universities.

Just as importantly, she treasured quiet moments spent talking, laughing, and relaxing with her mother, son, family, and friends.

Keeauna had a special gift for making people feel that they mattered.

Her Greatest Joy: Jacob: Above all, Keeauna’s greatest love and proudest accomplishment was her son, Jacob, born August 4, 2013.

From the moment he entered her life, Jacob became the center of her world. She celebrated his milestones, photographed every first day of school, encouraged his interests, and delighted in watching him grow. She captured Jacob's life in photographs from birth to 13 years old.

Keeauna particularly enjoyed watching and learning about basketball and football from Jacob. She marveled at his ability to remember players, statistics, dates, and details about the sports he loved.

She often reminded him, “Jacob, you can learn and commit to memory anything that interests you.”

Their relationship was filled with affection and meaningful family traditions.

Jacob’s first name honored his maternal great-great-great-grandfather, continuing a treasured family connection across generations.

Keeauna cherished their three-person family hugs, Keeauna, Jacob, grandma, often initiated by Jacob, and the nightly prayers Jacob shared with his mom.

They never left one another for school, work, or an outing without a hug, a kiss, and

the familiar words, “Love you. See you later.”

These everyday expressions of love reflected the extraordinary bond between mother, son and grandma.

Jacob was, and will always remain, the brightest light in Keeauna’s life.

Her Family and Lasting Legacy: Keeauna passed away unexpectedly on September 24, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved son, Jacob E. Thornton; her mother, Sharmon Paschal-Thornton; her father, Melvin Thornton; and her aunt, Angela Greene.

She is also survived by her paternal siblings, Melvin Thornton, Jr.; Antoinette “Toni” Jackson; Natasha Thornton; Telana Lee; and Zachery Thornton.

Her extended family includes her cousins, Collette S. King; Robin Flucas; Leslie Barnes; Janna Paschal; Jason Paschal; Justin Paschal; Charles “Billy” King (Jennifer); Madison Patricia King; Charles Marsalis King; Tonya Wims Brown; Jermond Brown; Taavon

Brown; Charles Hildreth; and Kim Hildreth.

She is also remembered by her aunt, Sandra Lewis; cousin, Brandon Lewis; and a host of beloved cousins and extended family members in Dayton, Ohio, and Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Keeauna was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Mary F. Hairston Paschal-Greene; maternal grandfather, Louis F. Paschal, Sr.; maternal great-grandmother, Mary F. Garland-Hairston; maternal great-grandfather, Jacob E. Hairston; uncle, Louis F. Paschal, Jr.; cousins Janice M. Flucas and Dr. Fredda D. Carroll; paternal grandmother, Doris M. Lewis; and paternal great-grandmother, Gertrude Thornton.

Among those who also held a special place in Keeauna’s life are Reva “Auntie” Harris; Beverly “Mom #2” Pitman; Norkita “Sister” Pitman-Howard; The Harris Family, including “Shani”; Cherie-Ann Conley; Tamara Simmons-Brown; Delores Dillard; Uncle Clay; Wendy Jarvis-Hall, Carolyn Miller and DeJuane Miller.

Her Lasting Legacy: Keeauna leaves behind a lasting legacy of kindness, devotion, friendship, and love.

She will be remembered for her joyful spirit, thoughtful conversations, dedication to others, and the deep and abiding love she shared with her son and family.

Her presence will be profoundly missed, but the memories she created, many lovingly preserved through photographs, and the love she so freely gave will remain forever in the hearts of all who knew her.