Frances L. Jeffrey (Henkins) Thornton

Mrs. Frances L. Henkins Jeffrey Thornton, age 87, of Waycross, passed away Saturday morning (12/26/20) at her daughter’s residence following an extended illness.

Born June 24, 1933 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she was a daughter of the late Curtiss Henkins and Myrtle Beurge Henkins Wenzel. She grew up and lived many years in Pennsylvania before mocing to Jacksonville, North Carolina and then to Waycross in 2012.  She had worked at Mellon Bank (now BNY Mellon) in Pittsburgh, PA and had also worked as a substitute teacher.  She had attended Sweat Memorial Baptist Church in Waycross.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, John Albert Jeffrey; a grandson, Mark Schmiedlin; and her sister, Lee Fischer.

Survivors include her husband, Dixie Rudolph Thornton of Jacksonville, North Carolina; 2 daughters, Joyce Lynn Schmiedlin (husband Mark) of Gibsonia, PA and Diane Jordan (husband John) of Waycross; 2 sons, John Jeffrey (wife Lynn) of Pittsburgh, PA and Dennis Jeffrey (wife Suzanne) of Parma, Ohio; 8 grandchildren, Monica Schmiedlin, Jason Jeffrey, Nicole Dyches, Dennis Jeffrey, Jamie Foster, Dawn Whitlock, Danny Jeffrey, and Rachel Glass; 23 great grandchildren; and her brother, Calvin Henkins of Wilmington, N.C.

Memorialization is by cremation.

Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.hartfh.com.

Hart Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of arrangements.

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