My incredible mother, Lois Ann Wagner Thornton, born on October 7, 1938, in Bellevue, Pennsylvania, passed away on May 15, 2025, at home with me and her cat. My mom was a nurse through and through, dedicating her entire life to caring for others. She started out at Presbyterian Hospital nursing school in Pittsburgh, worked decades of night shift, and cared for her parents and uncle in their final years. For her last 15 years in nursing, she worked as a hospice nurse well into her 70s, earning her the nickname “Energizer Bunny.”

My mom was truly a fearless dreamer and a determined doer, embracing every moment with adventure and a deep sense of purpose and passionate vision. She made so many of her dreams come true, including her farm in the Appalachian Mountains where she raised me amidst horses, goats, and gardens, and her childhood dream of living on a houseboat and sailing down rivers to New Orleans.

She was a gifted musician and songwriter, and she loved to learn, always surrounded by books and taking courses. Her amazing creativity and sheer determination led her to explore stained glass artistry, open her heart and home to foster at-risk children, and travel to incredible places like New Zealand and Costa Rica.

But above all else, she was a devoted mother to me, Diana, her only child. I know I was her greatest joy and inspiration. She also deeply cherished her family and friends, always finding ways to connect and share her countless passions. My mom’s legacy of kindness, courage, and boundless imagination will live on in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. She was 86 when she passed, and even in her final moments, she was still wishing for more time to do all the things she still dreamed of.

I am hoping to inter her ashes in Canton, Missouri in Forest Grove Cemetery overlooking the Mississippi River. We did this with my grandmother. Forest Grove Cemetery is where her parents, her brother David, and other family are buried. Canton, Missouri, is our Wagner hometown. Numerous generations and extended family were born, lived, and died in Canton.
Once I have made the arrangements for the funeral, I will make an announcement. I expect it to be sometime within the next 6 months to a year. I hope you will join us.
I am also working on a full biography of her life, but until then, here is a “short” preliminary biography and obituary for you to read and remember her by.
I would really appreciate if you would comment below or email me your memories and anecdotes, photos and letters for me to include in the full version. I’m still going through boxes of letters and photos on my end.
Click to read/download:

Lois Ann Wagner Thornton Preliminary Biography PDF Download

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