Rebecca Sue Thornton (née Czech), 57, of Cedar Hill, MO, died early Tuesday, August 2, 2016, with her family at her side. She is the beloved wife of Jay Thornton; mother of Nicole (Len) Bogacki and Sarah (Ryan) Buettner; grandmother of Oliver and Charlotte; daughter of Charlene and the late James R. Czech; sister of the late James S. Czech, Charlene (Steve) Reineri, Karen (Russell) Youngstrom, Melissa (Bob) Shipman, and Mark (Tammy) Czech; and also loving aunt to her nephews, nieces, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Becky was born December 16, 1958, into a large family and grew up close to her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many, many cousins. She loved to be outdoors, especially beneath the sun, and will be remembered for her fun-loving, adventurous spirit, as well as her creativity. She enjoyed active family vacations as well as the peace and quiet of her own backyard, where she did crossword puzzles, watched the birds, and relaxed amid the flowers and trees in the company of her husband. She achieved her dream of becoming a nurse and, as an LPN, provided compassionate care for patients in assisted living facilities and in their own homes, which gave her a special bond with the nurses who later took care of her. Becky made friends wherever she went, even after the daunting effects of her oral cancer treatments made socializing very difficult, and her memory lives on in the countless people whose lives she touched, however briefly.

Celebration of Life: A service in memory of Becky will take place at Moulin Events, 2017 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, on Sunday, August 14, 1-3 p.m. Prayers, readings, and reflections begin at 1:30.

Becky’s favorite local charities were the Peace Pantry in Cedar Hill (thepeacepantry.org) and Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs (odas.org).