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She loved sports and was very competitive as well. She played basketball, volleyball and tennis in high school.  She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at UGA, a Master’s of Education at Auburn and got an Interior Design degree and started a business with it.  A very successful artist, she painted commissioned portraits, murals and traveled with dad to art exhibits.  My home is full of her art.  Such wonderful memories.  

The people in Memory Care have said they loved her and Dad so much.  One lady said she told her fiancé that if he didn’t treat her like mom and dad treated each other, she would call off the wedding.  They have cried over her and miss her very much.  She was a very bright and caring person in Memory Care.  I loved coming to see her.  Her beautiful blue eyes would open wide and her face would be beaming with a wide smile - every time.

The staff at the hospital were so caring to mom.  They felt her pain and our pain.  They cried with me when I was having a very hard time accepting that mom wouldn’t recover and would need to be on comfort care.  In my heart, I knew that, but my heart and mind kept going back to the times she always had recovered from other illnesses and falls.  Hope, you need hope, but it also makes difficult decisions more difficult.  God, you need God, all the time.

In her last days, she cried out for her “mama”.  She reached with both arms toward the bright light from the hospital window.  In my heart, I know she was surrounded by angels from Heaven and angels still here on earth.

Mom loved us above all else.  She was kind and generous.  She worked full time as a teacher of art and english in the Columbus School System.  

She was an insatiable learner throughout her life until the late stages of Alzheimers.  She would take art classes or she would give them children and seniors.  She would read art magazines or watch videos.  



We were in a portrait art class given by Tom Nash (painted Newt Gingrech’s portrait) in the lower part of a shopping center without windows. Little did we know a once in a century snow storm was happening outside at evening rush hour.  I believe this was in 1987.  Tried to leave with her car, and we made it up a hill but kept loosing control downhill. We walked all the way from Sandy Springs at I-285 over to Powers Ferry and made our way to her house in Indian Hills.  People let us sit in their car to warm up.  Anyone who knows that area, knows how far it was.  I was so proud of her.  Really showed her determination and tenacity.  

She was raised by her grandmother and mother.  Her mother was away for awhile and her father and mother were divorced.  So, she lived with her grandmother and whom she called “mama”.  Her mom returned from Hawaii in 1942 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Her husband was stationed in Hawaii at the time. 

Mom has a sister, Mary Crosby, who couldn’t be here today because of illness, and a brother, Billy Barnwell.

They were a very close knit family.  I remember being with my great grandmother a lot of the time.  Mom’s mother, Mary, worked and was the bread winner as her husband and father to two children died early on.  Her grandmother “mama” was a completely selfless, loving person who instilled those same traits in Mom.  Mom’s grandmother “mama” died in 1966, and her mother and aunt died in an auto accident a few months later.


To be continued

Like Kathy, most of my memories of Aunt Sue revolve around the Thornton Family Christmas. Aunt Sue was always so sweet and gentle in her ways which is hard to do with such a boisterous crowd.  She was a true Southern Lady.  Aunt Sue was so extremely talented and generous with her talent.  Several years ago, Buddy researched her family history and gave her a binder with her genealogy.  To show her gratitude, she painted a portrait of our engagement picture.  It's one of my dearest treasures.  
I'll also think fondly on the many happy hours that were spent at their lake house.  Aunt Sue and Uncle Craig were generous with the lake house and we appreciated it so, especially when we had small children and very limited income. A long weekend at the lake house was often our only vacation.  We'll always be grateful for their thoughtfulness.  Aunt Sue and Uncle Craig will be missed but their legacy lives on in their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  We're blessed to be part of the wonderful Thornton Clan.

My dear sweet Sue! Oh I miss you dearly from the morning get ups to the wanting to take a nap right after lunch. I miss the conversations we would have every morning, I miss the laughs we shared through out the day, I definitely miss the I love yous that we would tell each other everyday. Every morning that I got Sue dressed, I would brush her long beautiful hair, she would say oh that feel so good and she would point to where she wanted me to brush , and I would do just that. As I would brush her hair, she would say to me I hope they keep you with me forever and I would say you got it. I was the only one that could get her up in the mornings with no problems, the mornings that I worked I wouldn’t let nobody get her ready but me, the days I was off I would set her clothes out and ask my fellow coworkers to send me pictures of her in that outfit, because I wanted to make sure that she was taken care of in the way that I would take care of her. Even though Jan would always say that I made a big impact in Sue’s life, but no one would understand the impact she had on my life, with all my grandparents gone I felt a safe and comforting feeling when it came to my favorite girl. Sue would always offer for me to come and lay down with her because she said I would look so tired and needed to sleep lol. I am truly and definitely going to miss my favorite girl. I want to thank Jan, Susan and Mike for sharing her with me, she meant the world to me and she definitely holds a very special place in my heart. To Jan, Susan, and Mike I love each of you very much. India and Sue forever best friends.

My memories of my Aunt Sue are all connected to the Thornton Family Christmas celebrations.  Her bright smile  and cheerful disposition  was the light she shared all the time.  You could tell that she loved her husband and her family very much and was pleased with the people that they had become.  
She was a very talented artist and her art will be treasured for many generations to come.  I have a Sue Thornton squirrel in my home now that brings a smile to my face daily.
At the end of this life, for what would you like to be known? Most of us would like to hear something like this.
I rendered service to my fellow man. 
I raised a family comprised of good people trying to do their best.
I was kind to others and made the world a better place
I demonstrated unshakable faith in God and lived accordingly.
From what I know about Aunt Sue, she has checked all those boxes and now her work on the earth is done and she is once again Home for the Holidays.  
We love you Aunt Sue, Kathy Seaton Reynolds and family.

Ever since I can remember, there has been a beautiful hand painted picture of a squirrel eating nuts that hung on the door in my parents kitchen.  Many times I commented how much I loved that picture. After my expressed love my Mother would always tell me how Aunt Sue painted it and how much it meant to her. Then she would talk about Sue and Craig and their life together and how they met. It never failed. She always did that.  Now, I have that picture. And to this day, every time I look at it, I think of Aunt Sue.

Aunt Sue was truly a beautiful Southern Lady. I didn’t have the opportunity to see her very often, but when I did, it was always a very special event. 
Her attributes I noticed most was the love that she had for her family. She always kept a beautiful home and had a beautiful personality. I will always remember her, as being a wonderfully  giving, kind and loving person. 

She and Craig gave us three wonderful Cousins. Susan,  Jan and Mike. They continue to be beautiful examples of people that were raised with love in their home and goodness instilled in their hearts. Together, Uncle Craig and Aunt Sue will ever be remembered as the backbone of this family. They will be remembered by this family with great fondness and deep love always. We will greatly miss you Aunt Sue. 

With Love 
Billy Seaton

Son, Mike, Sue and Craig always having a good time!

Greatgrands (more came and one more to come)! And, son, Mike.

Mary, Mom, Winter and Susan.  4 Generations.

great grands Ginger and Joey with their Pappy, Andy 1/2015

Sue at Daughter's of American Revolution Meeting 2010

Jan, Jordan, Whitney and Mom - 4 generations

Jordan, Luke and Ben, great grandchildren 2008

Jordan Minton and Luke Pumphrey, great grandchildren.  2008

Becca, Kristen, Jan Seaton, mom and sister Mary Crosby

Carter Reunion 2004 at Debbie Hearn Harrell's home on Lake Harding.

This photo really shows the compassion and love that was her.

Mom and Dad at the house they build in Indian Hills.  1970's  through 1999

Dad, Sue Barnwell (sister-in-law), Bill Raulerson-nephew, mom, Phillip and sister Mary, brother Billy Barnwell.

Mom, Dad's brother Jack, Dad and his sister, Jan.  Paintings behind by mom, Sue Thornton of Dad, three grandchildren and her grandmother whom we called "ma".

Wow!  Mom, Dad, "mama"-Willie B. Smith Mullins, mom's grandmother, Mom's mother Mary, Margie-her aunt, front row - son Mike, daughters Jan and Susan.  About 1965

Mary Barnwell Crosby (sister-Cissy as fondly known by our family), William G. Barnwell - Billy (brother-Buddy, as well fondly known by our family)

Sue and Craig's wedding 8/20/1949.  Married 72 years.

MamaSue, Jan and Whitney traveled to Dallas TX to meet baby Ben

MamaSue was the color light blue. And sunshine. Being near water. Putting bows in a boy dog's hair. 
She said "dad gummit" when mad, and if you yelled "mama suuuuuewhoooo" to find her in the house, she would respond "whoooo-hooooo" musically.
She was hot black coffee in the morning and cappucinos in the afternoon to ward off the migraines. Or a martini - whichever. 
She was Saturday morning crosswords (often beating Papa) and afternoon cryptograms. 
She was highly intelligent and didn't fear technology - always learning and growing. And I love seeing photos of her time in New York trying to make it as a dancer. 
She could make the most beautiful things out of nothing. ... an entire nativity set out of paper mache and old bottles. A huge Christmas stained glass scene over the garage window out of colored cellophane and black duct tape. 
MamaSue was bird feeders and rabbits and butterflies. 
She was naming squirrels from the back yard (mama and Charlie) and feeding them out of her hand (until one day she left the window open a crack and one got into the house, chasing us all around while Papa was yelling at her to "tell it not to go upstairs!"... )
MamaSue was always, always happy to see you.

At the Merril Garden's fall festival after MamaSue gave Susan a 'brown eyed Susan' face paint.

MamaSue doing face painting at the senior living center's fall festival

Going to the Leonardo DiVinci exhibit at the High Museum with MamaSue was a real treat! I loved hearing her views on things!

Mama Sue’s high school year book photo. Maybe 1946?

Susan’s house, Christmas 1999. Lynn, Mary, Whitney, Jan, Megan, Katie, JJ, Susan and Mama Sue.

Zeke, Sue, Papa, Jan, Andy, JJ and Whitney. Probably 1988. Possibly in Columbus.

Jojo!! One of Mama Sue’s beloved dogs and JJ.  Probably 1983 and at the Indian Hills house in Marietta, GA

Me and Mama Sue- probably 1979 or 80? At the Indian Hills house.

All the great grand kids!

Winter, Lainey, Reese, Wyatt, Ginger, Joey, Ben, Luke, and Jordan with Mama Sue and Papa at Susan’s 2017 Easter

Papa, Mama Sue, Ginger, Joey, Wyatt, at Susan’s at Easter 2017.

Mama Sue, JJ, Whitney, Jordan, and Jan at Jan’s house. 2007

Mama Sue at Susan’s. Always an animal lover. 2018

Mamasue was the sweetest. John and I always say you can see someone’s heart when they are kind to animals. Mamasue always fed the squirrels and animals climbing up on the window. She would bring her dogs home leftovers from a meal out.  

I loved Mamasue and papas routines. They had their favorite restaurant spots and daily trips to the gas station for cappuccinos. They taught all about family first and how to love. 

Papa took me for a golf lesson once. I remember how special that was. Mamasue always had art ready to go for any kid that walked in her house…and a cookie treat.  I love bragging on Mamasue’s painting. I didn’t get that gene but she tried to teach me! :)
I’ll miss them and I’m also happy Mamasue is back with her Craig. I’m blessed to have had them as my grandparents for so many years.

Wonderful picture of Mama Sue and Papa at Ginger’s baptism in 2012.

JJ, Jan and Mama Sue and Papa at Susan’s at Easter. 2016

At their house on Clubhouse Dr in Kennesaw with Joey and Ginger. 2014. Ginger loved getting mini drumstick ice cream cones there and Mama Sue and Papa loved giving them!

OBITUARY

Sue (Carter) Thornton

January 26, 1928 – December 10, 2023

Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home and Memorial Park

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