Clara N. Thornton, 91, departed this life peacefully on January 18, 2023.

She was born in Talladega, AL on November 27, 1931, to the late Richard and Mary Ragland.

She was a graduate of the Talladega County Training School and moved to Aliquippa in the early 1950's.  She was a homemaker and helped to raise her cousins and nieces. She was a member of the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church for over 60 years. Over the years she sang in the choir and served as a Deaconess and church custodian. She loved to do word search puzzles, read, and watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. She was an avid gardener and loved her flowers.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband of 53 years, Frank Thornton; daughter, Pamela Thornton; Sisters, Mildred Saxon, Lela Ragland, and Doris Heath; brothers, Thomas Ragland and Horace Ragland.

She leaves to celebrate her life and cherish her memories, her loving and dedicated nieces and nephew, Michelle Gaye, Lela Gaye of Hyattsville, MD and Massokhna Gaye of Bowie, MD; sisters, Deoliver Turner of Atlanta, GA; Dorothy Cunningham, of Detroit MI; brother, Otis Ragland of Talladega, AL; sister-in-law, Diane Ragland of Scottsdale, NY; close cousin, Paula Sellers and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

On Friday, January 27, 2023, the family will receive friends from 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Pitts Funeral Home, 920 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa, PA. She will be buried at Sylvania Hills Memorial Park at 11:00am on January 28, 2023.