THORNTON, SHIRLEY MAXINE (AGE 80) OF CAPITAL HEIGHTS, MARYLAND

Shirley Maxine (Alston) Thornton, of Capital Heights Maryland, departed this life and entered into eternal rest on October 22, 2023.  Shirley was born in Norfolk, Virginia, January 8, 1943, to the late Fred, Sr and Flossie Alston. She attended Booker T. Washington and graduated in 1961.  She married Donald Lee Thornton, Sr and together they moved to Washington, DC. New to the city, she was very excited to start working for the Hecht's Clothing Store. Later she began her career job of 35 years with the U.S. Postal Service.   She was also a devoted member of First Baptist Church of Highland Park where she sang in the choir.

An outgoing person, Shirley Thornton always welcomed you with a big smile and hug and to all that knew her, knew she was known to be a Diva! She always dressed with an elegant poise and always presented herself as a picture of class.  She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt who would do anything she could to make sure the family stayed on the right track in love and togetherness. Shirley was always the go-to person in the family, as well.  Especially, when it came to finding out what was going on in parts of the family that most of us did not know about. If you wanted to know who you were related to, who got married, or who passed on, you would go to Shirley. One day, after sensing the extended family was growing apart, she planned and set up a wonderful and joyful Family Reunion Boat Ride on the Potomac River because that was how important family meant to her.  It gave her immense joy to see her family fellowshipping in love.

Shirley was also passionate about cooking. Her culinary skills were first displayed during her teenage years, when the family looked forward to her homemade apple or sweet potato jacks. As she matured so did her culinary skills. She was a wiz in the kitchen. We, her family, could not wait until Holiday Seasons arrived because we knew Shirley would be preparing a delicious feast and would welcome anyone to the table. Some of her famous dishes to prepare were lamb, stuffed fish, corn pudding and rice pudding.

Shirley was also a force to be reckoned with when it came down to love and devotion. Normally, she was a person with an easy sweet disposition. However, she could be a very stern, no non-sense woman that would give you a piece of her mind if you got on her bad side.  She was known to give a person a run for their money if she felt she was right but fortunately, after some tough battles, she would calm down, extend an olive-branch of communication, and welcome you back with a smile.

Besides caring for her own kids, she also helped when needed with the neighborhood kids. She would love on them as well as discipline them. If she thought they needed to be disciplined, Shirley would show them no mercy, she treated them just like one of her own. She believed a child should stay in a child's place, but her love was always there to surround the chastisement and to assist with resolving the situation.

Shirley was predeceased in death by her parents, Flossie and Fred Alston Sr., and brother, Fred Alston, Jr. She leaves behind to cherish her memories: daughter, Tracy Thornton of Woodbridge, MD, son: Donald Thornton, Jr., of Waldorf, MD; sisters,  Joyce Hines of Virginia Beach, VA, Barbara Stewart of Bowie, MD; brother, Eugene Alston (Sharon) of Rougemont, NC; uncle, Milton Alston of Norfolk, VA;  grandchildren, Kamilah Archer, Markita White, Lamar Thornton, Donicia Thornton, Terrance Thornton, Brandon Thornton; great-grandchildren, Kindle and Ashton Archer, Logan White, Makailah Thornton, Jalen Thornton, Luke Cooper Jr.,  Leo Thornton, Elle White;  and a host of nephews, nieces and other relatives and friends.

Her viewing will be held from 10:00am until time of service 11:00am, Friday, November 10th, Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.  Interment Heritage Memorial Cemetery, Waldorf, Maryland.

On Friday, November 10, 2023 at 11:00 am, please click on the link below to live stream the service.

Please make sure when viewing the services that the volume located in the right lower corner (where it says "live") on the viewing screen is turned up (the bars should be blue).

The streaming will begin after the final family viewing.  Therefore, there may be a delay before the service appears on the screen. Thank you.

https://www.thorntonfuneralhomepa.com/live-stream