Abigail ‘Abbie’ Emma Thorndike

Our dear sister Abbie passed on to be with our Heavenly Father, joining her two oldest sisters Donna and Becky, who passed on last summer. Abbie was born in Tonasket, Washington, just 16 miles south of Oroville, where she grew up with her five sisters.

Some of Abbie’s fondest memories are the family vacations, Girl Scout camps and horse packing camp trips to the Paysaten. Abbie had a special horse named Echo. He was a tall, dark bay horse with a white heart shape on his forehead. This horse was known to favor Abbie over anyone else.

Abbie graduated from Oroville High School in 1979, then proceeded to Washington State University to complete her undergrad education for an Associate Nursing Degree, which she completed at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. While at WSU, Abbie played flute in the WSU Marching Band. She had the privilege to march at the Spokane Lilac parade the same year her younger sister Autumn marched for Oroville High School at the same parade.

As a nurse, Abbie worked mostly as a home health care provider. Most of her work as a nurse was in the Brewster, Tonasket, Kennewick and Pasco areas. While living in the Tri Cities area she became quite close to her niece Deborah and nephew Jason and their children, Blake and Felicity. She has many fond memories there. She also assisted her sister Becky in the San Francisco area with foster children, where she lived for a number of years before returning to Oroville.

Abbie liked riding her horse Echo, hiking, singing, playing piano and the flute, crafts and having fun. A few years back, Abbie made the steep climb to the “Falls” that come during the spring runoff south of Oroville. She helped with the Okanogan Valley Orchestra and Choir Theatrical Musical group for several years, gathering and making props for the musicals, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Oklahoma,” “The Little Mermaid,” and others. Abbie liked planning fun events and leading music at her church. Her church family meant a lot to her.

In Abbie’s later years, when it became hard for her to get around, she was very grateful for all those who gave of their time and energy to help her with her needs. She sometimes felt saying thank you wasn’t enough and so whenever she could, she would bake brownies for them. Abbie loved people. When asked what she wanted for her 60th birthday, she said she wanted to give 60 hugs, and she did.

In her last weeks, her brother-in-law, Wayne, told her to “Razzle Dazzle” people. So when doctors and nurses came into her room she would shout, “Do you know Jesus?” They would get a big smile and say yes! It felt good. When asked what she wanted people to remember, she said, “She would like people to see her through her Heavenly Father’s eyes.”

Abbie is survived by three of her sisters, Margot (Raul) Sanchez, Connie (Wayne) Madson and Autumn (Wade) Martin; her very special nieces and nephews, David (Kim) Carlson, Brian Ted Thorndike, Deborah (Jason) Langston, Kyle (Amber) Kennison, and DeAnna Ankrum; nephew and grandnieces, Blake Langston, Felicity Langston, Temprance Ankrum and Juliana Kennison and many loved aunts, uncles, cousins, church family and special friends. She is preceded in Heaven by her parents, Theodore (Ted) and Jean (Washburn) Thorndike; sister, Donna Jean (Thorndike) Evans; sister, Rebecca (Becky) Lynn Thorndike and brother-in-law, Jon Evans.

Abbie wants you to know that she loves you.

All are welcome to attend Abbie’s Celebration of Life at the Oroville United Fellowship Church on April 11, 2026, at 11 a.m., 908 Fir Street, Oroville, WA 98844.