Rebecca (Becky) Lynn Thorndike passed on suddenly to eternity on August 12, 2025, at her home in Franklin, North Carolina, just three weeks after her oldest sister, Donna Evans. Becky was born on July 17, 1953, in Tonasket, Washington.

She grew up in Oroville, Washington and was the second daughter of Ted and Jean Thorndike, one of six daughters. Becky was noted as a horsewoman, counselor, leader in the Oroville and California Girl Scout Council and a special friend to all who knew her. They lived in Oroville amongst an apple orchard with Dad’s hobby of horses roaming the mountain part of their property. Thus, fondly referred to as an “Apple Ranch.”

As children and later as adults, the family rode horses all over the nearby Cascade Mountain Range for fun, camping trips and an occasional cattle drive with the nearby cattle families and friends.

In high school, Becky played basketball on the Oroville High School Girls team. She played softball as a catcher and sometimes at first base. She won the county blue ribbon for the longest softball throw during her senior year. Becky also earned an award for best actress in the senior class play. Becky was voted High School Girls Club president and also the High School Student Body Secretary.

In between college activities, she helped her dad run the Apple Ranch. She was a Girl Scout leader of the Oroville horse troop, which put on the “Bronc-A-Ree” event for the Mid Columbia Council for several years at her dad’s horse arena on the mountain. Partly due to this local “horse” troop, the Western Horse badge was reinstated. All this launched her love for serving in the Girl Scouting program.

Becky worked with many youth and youth organizations. She was a Girl Scout as a youth, became a director of community development for Girl Scouts and a horse director at the King’s Lake Girl Scout Camp. She worked in the Girl Scout program for over 65 years.

Becky has a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Washington State University and a Master’s in Counseling from the University of Oregon. From Oregon, Becky moved to the San Francisco Bay area, worked at the Fred Finch Center and then landed a coveted job with the Girl Scout Council. She became the Governance Director with the Girl Scouts of Northern California Council, where she became a trainer of leaders and recruiters.

After retiring from the Girl Scouts, she moved to Franklin, North Carolina, to be closer to her special friend Elizabeth and her family. There, she enjoyed a life with many caring friends and served a UU fellowship group. Once again in a leadership position, serving, recruiting and assisting with technical support.

She is survived by four of her sisters, Margot (Raul) Sanchez, Connie (Wayne) Madson, Abigail Thorndike, Autumn (Wade) Martin; foster daughter, Kelly Armstead; brother-in-law, Knox (Tammy) Williams; nieces and nephews, David (Kim) Carlson, Brian Thorndike, Deborah (Jason) Langston, Kyle (Amber) Kennison, DeAnna Ankrum; grandnieces and nephew, Blake Langston, Felicity Langston, Temprance Ankrum and Juliana Kennison and many loved cousins, aunts and uncles. She is preceded by her parents, Theodore (Ted) and Jean Thorndike; sister, Donna Evans and brother-in-law, Jon Evans.

The family would like to invite friends and family to a Celebration of Becky’s Life on Saturday, November 15 at 11 a.m. at the Oroville United Fellowship, 908 Fir St., Oroville, Washington 98844.