Mildred Irene Thornton

Mildred Irene Haines Thornton 1932 - 2025

 Mildred “Millie” Thornton of Gardiner, Montana died at home, surrounded by her family, on January 10, 2025, at age 92. Millie was born on April 20, 1932, in Mitchell, South Dakota to Clifford and Pearl Haines. She was the fifth of six children with four brothers and one sister. Her family moved to Fremont, Nebraska where Millie lived as a child and attended school. Millie was a good student and enjoyed participating in sports like badminton, basketball, and cheerleading. She found many lifelong friends in school including Jessie Waterman and Verla Sweringen, with whom she stayed in contact until the end. 

During her senior year Millie met the love of her life, Dean Thornton, whom she married on December 15, 1950, in Fremont. Millie married a wandering man, and she willingly moved from state to state while Dean taught school and attended college during summer breaks until he got a master’s degree in school administration. Dean loved horses and did leather work. Millie supported his passion while buying leather tools one at a time when money was tight. Every home they had over the years had a leather shop. Dean passed those skills on to his namesake grandson, Dean, who carries on the legacy of horses and leather work in his own leather shop. Millie and Dean moved from Nebraska to Wyoming, Arizona, Montana, Oregon and then back to Gardiner, Montana, where they lived the remainder of their lives. 

Millie and Dean were always surrounded by good friends with whom they played cards, went camping, and traveled to parks, and the Oregon Coast to go fishing. Millie loved to travel in their camp trailers and motor home. They often took their grandchildren to Las Vegas, Yuma, Arizona, California and a road trip to Glacier Park and Calgary. She treasured her years traveling with Dean.

Upon Dean’s death in 1996, Millie returned to Gardiner where she volunteered for many years at the Gardiner Community Library, helped clean the Gardiner Community Church, participated in the Red Hat Club, and then the Coffee Club where she was always inviting friends to join. She often provided rides and picked up friends when they were unable to drive. Millie was fiercely independent and was driving her beloved Rav4 into her 90’s. She was a good friend to those around her and provided comfort to them when their loved ones passed. Millie was a widow for 28 years and missed Dean every day.

Millie & Dean had three children, seven grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. Millie is survived by her son Glen (Stefani) Thornton of Englewood, FL, daughter Cheryl Hoppe of Gardiner, MT, grandchildren Blaine (Janet) Hoppe of Belgrade, MT, Dean (Lori) Hoppe of Gardiner, MT, Wayne (Erin) Hoppe of Belgrade, MT, and daughter Linda’s (Ed) four children in Oregon: Joleen, Jennifer, Jeffrey, and Jessica. Millie is also survived by her nephew David (Bonnie) Evans of Fort Smith, MT, and her nieces Debby Haines, Diana Lopez, and Rhea Thompson. Millie was preceded in death by her husband, Dean Thornton, her parents, brothers Walter, Clifford, Norman, and Jerry Haines, her sister Dorothy Northrup, and her oldest daughter Linda Lee (Thornton) Evans.

Her Celebration of Life is scheduled for Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Gardiner Community Church. Pastor Jeff Ballard will officiate the ceremony.

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