Elinor P. Thornton   (77) Amherst-On Wednesday February 1, 2023 everyone’s mother Ellie Pierce Thornton went on to join her own mother who she has missed for so many years. The daughter of Charles and Rosalie (Mielke) Pierce of Amherst, Ellie married Frank Thornton of Pelham in 1968. Two short years later Ellie left her job with the Amherst school system to begin raising her children-the job she was born to do. Along with her own two, Ellie was an honorary mom to decades of kids in the Amherst area, many of whom still stop her and Frank in the grocery store to say hi and show her pictures of their own children, (yes-she knows ALL their names!)  Ellie was passionate about charity and giving to those in need. She spent countless hours knitting preemie sets for hospitals and every year her family was tasked with loading the car absolutely full of the items she purchased at Christmas and back to school time for donation. Ellie fought (and won) a cancer battle for 22 years despite an original diagnosis of “incurable”.  Ellie enjoyed going to bluegrass shows with her husband and made many new friends among the chairs and the strings.

    Ellie is survived by her husband of nearly 55 years Frank of Amherst, her son Matthew (Tammy) of Sunderland, daughter Jan (William Dubuque) of Granby, sister Sandra Pierce (David Mamulski) of Northampton, sister in law Vannie of VT, niece April of VT, grandchildren Nicole, Adianna and Billy, great grandson Andre and by her best friend since grade school Marguerite Searle of Pelham. Ellie was predeceased by her brother Charles of VT and Ronald of Leverett.

    Ellie did not play the lottery. This past Christmas Marguerite gave her a scratch ticket-Frank had to show her how to play it. She won a bit of money. In true Ellie fashion, her last request was for her family to turn her winnings into gift cards and give them to an Amherst family going through a rough patch.

    If you would like to honor Ellie, her family asks that you please continue her tradition of charity by giving to someone in need through a church, school or survival center. Or make a donation to Norwottuck Fish and Game Association to send a child to the Massachusetts Junior Conservation Camp.

    Per Ellie’s request there will be no services. Instead, her family will plant a flowering shrub in her honor in the spring. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com