Lyla R. Thornton

Lyla R. Thornton, born May 6, 1920 in Whitefish, Mont., died June 12, 2011 at Tonasket Extended Care Center.

Lyla spent her childhood living in various logging camps in Sandpoint, Idaho and Disautel Pass out of Omak. She homesteaded with her family 100 miles North of Edmonton, Alberta in 1927. Her family moved back to Omak in 1935 and she went on to graduate from Omak High School in 1939. Lyla married Private Dell Thornton Sept. 2, 1942 in Reno, Nev., just days before he shipped out with the 3rd Infantry Division for the invasion of North Africa. Lyla was a very loyal soldier’s bride, writing to him almost every day. After the war was over, Lyla worked while Dell went to the University of Washington and on over to Australia for medical school. While in Australia, their daughter Susan was born in 1955 and another daughter Laurie was born in 1959. Dell and Lyla set up their medical practice in Republic, Wash. in 1961 where their son Geoff was born in 1963. Their medical practice continued there until Dell died in 1998.