Lois 'Elaine' James

Lois Elaine James, daughter of Dulcie (Durney) Thornhill and Bernie Thornhill, was born on August 21, 1939 in Dawson, Missouri and departed this life on May 23, 2014 at the age of seventy-four years, nine months and two days. The last five months of her life were spent at the home of her daughter, Pam, where she was lovingly cared for by her children and grandchildren. Elaine began school in a one-room classroom at Hopkins School in Dawson, attending several other schools in Missouri, Wyoming and California, before graduating from University High School in West L.A. in 1957. While attending school in Springfield, she met her friend, Norma, and the two of them have had a sixty-four year friendship. During her childhood, she was given a baton and practiced and perfected her skills until she became an excellent baton twirler. While in high school, she was selected to perform in a talent show with Nancy Sinatra and the Lennon sisters, and she performed as a twirler in the Rose Bowl parade. While these were special events, if asked, she would have told you her greatest accomplishment in life was being a mother.
As she raised her five children, Pam, Mike, Peggy, Brenda and Bill, her house was a favorite hang-out for all their friends. She was the kind of mother who worked all day and stayed up late at night baking something or sewing something that one of her kids needed. She drove them to countless sporting events and cheerleading camps, served as room mother and never missed any function one of her kids was involved in. She was witty and fun to be around and had a contagious laugh that she shared often.
Starting her banking career as a teller, she completed a two-year banking school and worked her way up to branch manager of a bank in West Plains before retiring in 1998. After retiring, she began quilting. She was a perfectionist, so every seam and corner had to be just right. She made many beautiful quilts and gave every single one of them away to family and friends.
Saved and baptized at the age of twelve at High Street Fundamental Baptist Church in Springfield, she later became a member of First Baptist Church of Mountain Grove where she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and G.A.s for many years. In recent years, she also enjoyed attending services with her daughters family at Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church in Norwood. For over thirty years, she served as a volunteer wish granter for the Make-a-Wish Foundation where she granted wishes and fulfilled dreams for terminally ill children. She was a member for many years of the Piney River Quilt Guild and the Order of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed reading, fishing, working in her yard, playing games on her computer, and watching Tiger Woods play golf on TV. Spending time with her family was important to her and she loved being with all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Elaine was devastated when her son, Mike, lost his battle with cancer on May 23, 2012. She never spent another night in her own home, choosing to stay at Mikes house with his things surrounding her. Shortly after that, she bravely began fighting her own battle with pancreatic cancer. Two years later, on the very same day, she was reunited once again with her son.
She was preceded in death by her son: Michael Roy Patterson; her parents; and by two brothers: Gene Thornhill and Wallace Thornhill.
She is survived by her three daughters, Pamela Joyce Owens and husband, Tom, of Mountain Grove, Missouri, Peggy Joann Mackey, and her husband, Bryan, of West Plains, Missouri, and Brenda Elaine Griffin of Van Buren, Arkansas; her son, Bill Edward Boykin of Mountain Grove, Missouri. She leaves behind her grandchildren: Tyler Owens, Tracy Owens, Travis Mackey, Scott Mackey, Michael Wade, Amanda Campbell, Steven Griffin, Jenny Davis, and Sunshine Martin; her great-grandchildren: Aubrey, Tenley, Tindle, Norah, Jude, JoAnna, Emmitt, Brady, Baylee, Blayklee, Lexi, Sebastian, Taylor, Shelbee, and Katelynn; her brother: Farris Thornhill and his wife, Pat; two sisters-in-law: Carolyn Thornhill and Judy Thornhill; two half-brothers: Leland Thornhill and Gary Thornhill; and a half-sister: Janet Thompson; her good friend: Norma Benford; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
She was a special little lady and will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.


Visitation: Thursday, May 29, 2014 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home Chapel.

Services: Friday, May 30, 2014 at 10:00 AM in the Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home Chapel.

Burial: Hillcrest Cemetery, Mtn. Grove, MO

Memorial Contributions: St. Judes Childrens Hospital c/o of the funeral home.