Nancy Kay Thornton

Our sweet Nancy Kay Thornton, 74, of Taneytown, MD, passed into Heaven in the first hour of Thursday, March 27, 2025. She had bravely faced a diagnosis of Stage 4 Melanoma for 3 months. In the end, her heart was tired and was ready to rest. She had one daughter, Coleen, who loved her very much and who is writing this memorial. Mom was always my editor, so this may be messy.

Mom was born April 29, 1950, in Colorado. She was the only daughter of the late Ina (Young) and Merlin Houdeshell, whom she loved.

Mom earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Colorado State University and went on to get enough credits at various universities for a master’s degree while working on her Certified Public Accountant designation. She was a smart cookie! She worked in accounting most of her life, which is funny because she “hates taxes!” In her growing up years, she spent a summer de-budding roses in a nursery and selling tickets at a wax museum in Denver. Whatever she was doing, she believed in showing up 10 minutes early or you were late. As a CPA, she always dressed professionally and never wore a skirt without pantyhose. She was dedicated, a hard worker and a provider.

As a young lady, Mom made her own clothes. We have not actually seen them, but we have spent many hours with her making dresses or costumes on her well-loved sewing machine. She also loved to crochet and made many blankets as grandbabies came to bless her life. Multiple sclerosis would take the feeling from the tips of her fingers, but she would still try to make things for us. “Come thread this damn needle for me!” Even if it caused her to struggle in the giving, she was creative and a giver.

Mom could play the piano gracefully and she tried to teach me. I remember using both of my pointer fingers to play the top part of songs like chopsticks while she so eloquently played the bottom. My puppy once chewed the edges of her piano seat, much to her aggravation. She did not see much use for animals, but she knew how much I loved them, so we “compromised” by me not opening a zoo. She was a peacemaker.

Mom was an enthusiastic fan of Norman Rockwell and collected plates, paintings, and other little keepsakes with his creative stamp. His work has been described as “idealistic or sentimentalized portrayals of American life.” I think that is what held the appeal for her. He also often used humor in his work. Mom may have been mostly on the quiet side, but she did have a funny bone. Laughter would bring out her sweet dimples. We have lived together as adults for the past 18 years, so our decorating was a big, bizarre medley of life at its best, pictures of hope and encouragement. To complement the décor, the TV was always on the Hallmark channel unless When Calls the Heart or the Gilmore Girls was on. She was a dreamer, a romantic.

Travel was a longing and a joy for Mom. She had seen a good many parts of the world with family and friends and made new friends on travels she braved alone. She was not afraid to go to new places on her own. Her last trip was to Benson, Arizona where she and I would be blessed with a new generation and 2 weeks of time together. Travels meant tee-shirts, books, and thimbles! We are making blankets to preserve her adventures, and we are committed to traveling to new places to fill in the blanks in her thimble collection. She was an adventurer.

If ever I or anyone else needed help, mom was always there. Sick kids, sporting events, fifth grade band concerts (God help us all!), math homework, driving a friend to the doctor, buying food for someone, etc. etc. She gave of her time and her money to whoever had a need. She was dependable, loyal, trustworthy.

It does bear mentioning that Mom was a bit of a worrier, so we always had enough toilet paper in the house to supply a small army through a digestive concern. She had dozens of luggage tags, shoes for every possible occasion and enough power cords and flashlights for a blackout. Someone in the house was always in need (normally at midnight) of some weird something (think glue dots) so she kept a random supply of random things. We called it “Tamart.” It rarely disappointed! She was prepared.

Mom loved the Lord. For a season, she felt she had fallen too far away from Him to still be loved and did not know how to get back. He was just happy to have her turn around, which I believe she knew. She was blessed with 18 years of a renewed relationship with Christ. She developed treasured relationships with many precious women and was welcomed and involved with her church family. She learned it is never too late for amazing grace and she would want you to know that, too. She was devoted.

Mom is survived by an older brother David (Marsha) Houdeshell and a younger brother, Tony (Nancy) Houdeshell, who both live in her beautiful home state of Colorado. It is her hope that they will talk more and think of her fondly with memories like the time she dropped her change of clothes into the pool from the balcony at the Fitzsimons in-door pool. She is also survived by her paternal aunt, Connie Ramsack, and many other extended family members. Mom was predeceased by an older, baby brother.

Mom will always be known for her own, personal legacy of love, which was growing. She longed to be a mom and was given a daughter, me, Coleen (Gilliland) Kramer Beal. She gained a son-in-law in 2009, John Beal. They would suggest they had nothing in common, but they absolutely did.

In 1996, her teen daughter would make her a grandmother for the first time. Leif Merlin “Bear” Kramer was also the first great-grandson of Ina and Merlin Houdeshell. He would miss meeting his namesake, who was also a Navy man, but he brought many happy smiles to great grandmother Ina. Bear would give Mom her grandma’s name of “Tama.” Mom loved playing rummy with Bear and had really hoped to be able to travel and see his Navy base in Washington. For a season, Tama would be present for Bear when I was not. I will forever be grateful to her for that. She was very proud of the man he was becoming, especially in his role of big brother.

In 1998, she would become a grandmother again to Dakota Palmer “Cody” Kramer during hurricane season. From day one, he was her person. They had the same internal wiring and were way more than grandmother and grandson. They were soul friends. One of their favorite adventures was going to the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre together. Mom was excited to be able to visit Cody in Arizona when he proposed to his sweet Angela Thompson during Christmas 2023. Her family was growing!

In 2001, mom would gain her first granddaughter, Liberty Skye Kramer. She loved making dresses for her and later could not understand Libby’s sense of fashion at all. She was amazed by Libby’s strength, and they shared a similar love of travel and shoes and online shopping in general. She loved to hear Libby sing in church with her super loud contra alto. In our last few weeks together, mom taught Libby a Houdeshell family favorite, Cribbage. Mom was tired and did not plan to do much other than coach Libby through the game, but she quickly scooted to the edge of the hospital chair and told her, “I wouldn’t do that. Do this!” In mom’s last days, she looked to Libby (not me) for medical help and guidance. She knew Libby had a gift and was comforted in the knowledge that she was near and capable.

In 2004, mom gained another grandson, Evan Michael Brown. Mom was amazed at how many sports Evan could play and that he played so well “backwards.” (He is ambidextrous.) Evan (like Cody) shares her beautiful blue eyes. God put mom in Evan’s arms during her last hour and she trusted him to hold her safely, which he did.

In 2009, mom would gain a granddaughter through marriage, Cheyenne Naomi Beal. They were both early birds, liked to cook, liked dominoes, and enjoyed peace and quiet. (All rare things for our house!)

Along life’s journey, another boy would become like a grandson to Mom. CJ cannot be claimed by blood or marriage, but he can be claimed by love and choice. Her life would not have been the same without this one extra at the table warming up a 3-day old cup of coffee with her. We “could just spit” that she is gone.

In 2024, the family tree would grow a new branch as we welcomed her first great-granddaughter, Adaline Star Kramer. For a woman who had believed she could somehow fall out of grace, she was blessed to see and know the incredible beauty of her continued legacy.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, April 24th at 4 p.m. at Uniontown Bible Church, 4272 Watson Lane, Union Bridge, MD 21791. A reception and snacks (yes, Mom, every get-together does need snacks), will follow.

Special thanks to Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home, P.A., Taneytown, for their care and handling. Our hope is to take her ashes back to Crown Hill in Wheat Ridge, CO to be with her parents, brother, and other family members by the Rocky Mountains she called home.