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Last updated July 14, 2014|
2 CAUS Lung Cancer 1 _MDCL Had on lung removed, later finding cancer in the other. The story of Maurice & Shirleen's life in a story written by Shirleen over the years. Maurice died of lung cancer in 1991. Maurice Earnest Thornton, born June 12, 1926 in Red Lake County, Minnesota to Alvin (Alva)Anthony and Pauline Josephine (Starman) Thornton. Alvin was the son of Albert & Lillian (Cheney) Thornton. Alvin was born In Iowa, moving to Southern Minnesota as a young man. It is told they traveled by covered wagon with the kids walking behind. Later the family moved to Northern Minnesota . Pauline was the daughter of Frank & Josephine (Kubista) Starman. Pauline was born in Southern Minnesota a few months before the death of her father. Frank died with lung problems, he always could be heard coughing where ever he was. This left her mother to care for the family. Her oldest sister Anne, had to quit school in the 6th grade to help her mother make a living. Pauline's sister married and moved to the Ulen, Minnesota area. Pauline must have gone to live with them and that would be when she meet Alvin. Alvin and Pauline were married June 29, 1915 in Red Lake Falls, MN. The family lived most of the time in the Plummer, MN area, with the exception of a few years they lived in the Twin Valley, MN area. I believe all the children were born in Red Lake County, MN. Alvin and Pauline had 11 children. Alvin worked on the railroad, but in 1929 while attending to his job at the coal shed at the depot where the Flyer took on coal and water Alvin slipped and fell his left hand striking the rail and wheels of the train passing over it. Three of the fingers were completely severed and the rest were mangled. He was taken to the hospital in Thief River, MN where the hand was amputated. He was offered a life time job or $1000.00 cash. They chose the cash, of course at that time it seemed like a big settlement. They bought a cream station, but this was during the depression and it went under. Alvin worked for the city of Plummer, was County assessor, and mowed county roads. The family had many medical problems over the years. There were lots of heart problem. Losing one daughter to a brain tumor at the age of 18. Maurice got the nick name Mody when he was little-he picked up a duck by the neck and said" Look what Mody got" Because of the many health problems and other things, Maurice went to live with an Aunt & Uncle Pat & Viola Griffin in the Barnesville area at the age of 12. He went to school, helped with the chores and many other jobs for his room and board, clothes and on Saturday night he would get 10 cents to spend in town. He did little other jobs to make a little spending money-like one time he was ask to stay home from church to watch for the birth of some little pigs, so they would be okay after they were born. He received 5 cents a pig. He and his cousin Donnie would trap gophers for a little extra money. Only thing cousin Deloris wanted to come along she didn't want to do any of the work, but wanted an equal cut of the money. They solved this one time by locking her in the trunk of the car. Maurice did lots of horse back riding while living on the farm. Maurice talked a great deal about his grandfather Thornton. He must have been a great tease-one time when they didn't button the fly of their jeans he threatened to cut the buttons off and he did just that. They tried to get even by putting nails under his car tires, but he saw them before he move his car. The boys would always run out to meet their grandfather when he would bring cream to town. They would ride to town with him. Maurice & his brother Richard were very mischievous little boys. They were all most like twins and some people would ask if they were-their answer was yes, but that Richard was three years older. As they grew older they had to help their dad cut wood to sell. Living in Northern Minnesota there were lots of trees to be cut for fire wood. This was a way the family could make extra money. When Maurice was asked how he learned to swim he told of going to the river and diving off into the water, it was either sink or swim. Maurice lived with his uncle and Aunt for about two years. During this time he didn't get to see his family. He felt unwanted during his stay on the farm in Barnesville. He was afraid when he went home he wouldn't know which was his little brother and Nephew. This left him with many insecure feeling during his life time. He didn't realize how much he was loved by everyone that knew him-until he was very sick. After the years In Barnesville he went to work for his mother's sister in the Flom, MN area. This was very hard work. He worked there till he was 17 years old, at this time he went home to get his parents to sign the papers so he could go into the service. His mother would not sign for him, so he went to Warren ,MN to work till he was 18, then he could go into the service without his parents consent. He joined the army, after basic training he joined the Gliders. He went into Germany in a glider. He was discharged after one year, but renlisted again thinking he could become a glider instructor, but he needed to join for three years for that, so he stayed in the regular army for the next year. When Maurice was discharged he moved to Barnesville again where he worked hauling milk. This was a very hard job, as the milk cans were very heavy and the winters were hard. There would be such big drifts of snow they would have to go through to get to each farm. He stayed at his employers farm, he slept upstairs where there was no heat. His clothes would get very wet picking up the large milk cans out of the coolers, so his clothes would freeze at night, also it would often snow on his clothes, so they would be frozen and covered with snow in the morning. He then moved into the hotel in Barnesville, but this wasn't much better as the rooms were still very cold. He quit this job and went to work on a diary farm. At this time he meet Shirleen Cleo Garrison Daughter of Cleo & Marguerite (Braton) Garrison. Cleo was the son of William Edwin & Amelia (Uppfalt) Garrison. Marguerite was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin & Clara Helen(Moll) Braton Shirleen was born in Barnesville, MN at her grandmother Garrison's home. The family lived in Lawndale, MN at this time. Shirleen attended country school about 1/2 mile from Lawndale. The children usually walked to school even during the coldest winter weather, unless a neighbor would offer them a ride. Shirleen father worked in Barnesville, MN so he used the car to go back an forth. Everyone wore lots of clothes during these cold winters and it was always so cold at the school. There would be long underwear, cotton socks and high top shoes, even for the girls. These were hard times so lunch was mostly usually jelly sandwiches and some cookies. That was a better lunch then some had, as some would have lard and salt on their bread. When living in Lawndale and near HWY 52 there was always scares about gypsy's coming. At this time they had to pick up all our toys and then everyone would have to come in the house and lock the door. We were always told they would steal anything out side or even take children One time Shirleen stayed home with her dad, her mother and the others were spending time at grandma's. Her dad left her home while he went over to the station to play cards. When he came back he brought her a Mr Goodbar candy bar. This was a big treat, but very disappointing when he told her she had to share it with the other children when they got home. One summer Shirleen spent the summer with the Rezac's in Glyndon. Mike worked for the people that owned this old mansion built in 1875. They lived in a few rooms, the rest of the house seemed just out of this world. The children weren't allowed to go into the other rooms. This would have been in the late 1930's or early 1940's. The toilet was attached by a porch, so didn't have to go out side. There was always a worry about tramps from the railroad coming by there. There was a swimming hole, so they could go swimming. Shirleen was to stay there that summer and help with the children to get a Shirley Temple Perm. When the summer was over, Barb bought a perm and gave a home perm. A big disappointment! Shirleen did spend some time during the summer baby sitting for Maynard Hughes on their farm. During that time she was caring for Maynard, he ran off, so she ran after him and run into a wire that had been moved down. This scar stayed the rest of her life. Shirleen went through all 8 grades as the only one in her class. This did bring many disadvantages when it came time to enter high school. At the age of 13 Shirleen was ready for high school. At this time the family moved to Barnesville, MN, with two in high school and her father worked there it was the thing to do. The little house was sold and a bigger house was bought in Barnesville, This was quite a change from about a small 5 room house to a 3 bedroom house with large rooms, with a large basement, also a bath room. Shirleen did some baby sitting during high school and worked at the Coast to Coast Store at 14 during the war when they couldn't get help-being all the young men were in the service. This ended when the young men returned from the war. During the time she was working at the store she bought her first bicycle. The first bikes being made after the war, later sold the bike and bought a cedar chest as everyone else was riding the bike, but her. Shirleen worked in a bakery for a while after graduation and helped out at the diary farm where Maurice worked Maurice & Shirleen were married in 1947 in Barnesville, MN in her parents home with family and friends. They lived in Barnesville, the first few months. Living with Shirleen parents that winter. Larry was born that winter while staying with her folks. Maurice helped Shirleen's mother with the baking and would give her a hard time. Big tease! One time she throw the dish clothe at him and he got her in a corner and wrung the clothe out down her dress. The next spring they moved out to the diary farm where Maurice worked, where they lived up stairs above the owners. This didn't have any heat so had to move into town again in the fall. Maurice started to work on the railroad at this time. He worked there for one year and was laid off. He went into Norby's Dept Store to pay for a pair of shoes for Larry and was offered a cleanup job,as they were remodeling and needed help. Later that day Mr. Norby told Maurice to dress up in the afternoon, he started his job training into the retail business. During the time Maurice worked for Norby's there were several older Ladies working there. Some were unmarried, these gals thought so much of Maurice. He would take them to the doctor in Moorhead, MN and when ever they wanted to go visit family he would take them. The whole family went on many trips with him and his older ladies. One had a sister that own a coffee shop by the college so spent time with her. They liked him and he liked them. Maurice also helped Shirleen's dad with cutting up old cars. One time he was cutting up a car and the gas tank exploded, he caught fire, Shirleen Dad grabbed him and pulled his pants off, this saved his life. He was burned around the face, but all came out okay. Only because his clothes were pulled off. During this time Shirleen began to have asthma problems so it was the time to make a decision about whether to leave Minnesota and try living in Colorado, this was where the Tom Griffin family had moved for the same reason. In August of 1955 the house was sold and the car packed to make the move. All their furniture was stored and with a very packed car they took off. Only getting to Breckenridge and had a flat tire. The spare was deep under all their belongings. Arriving in Colorado they went to Tom Griffin's to start their new life. They stayed with the Griffin's one night. the next morning Tom took Maurice down town and when they came back Maurice had a job at Munsell Nuway Shoe store. The family moved into a motel, till they found a little two room apartment. All furnished, but a washer. Larry slept on a cot and there was one bed. They stayed in this apartment for a short while. While in this apartment they found Maurice had relatives living there. This was the first contact they had with relatives living in Greeley. Maurice's Aunt May had lived in Greeley for a number of years. Her granddaughter lived in the same apartment house they moved to. About 6 weeks after getting settled in the small apartment Hilda Griffin found out a friend of hers had a two bedroom apartment for rent. This was unfurnished, so the landlady helped find a bed ( rollaway for two people) a table and there was a stove, so made due till their furniture was delivered in October. Lived in Colorado till 1958, then decided to try to move back to Minnesota. Maurice worked for Shirleen's dad with the salvage business. After spending part of the summer there it was decided that Shirleen still couldn't live there, so in August the family returned to Colorado. Maurice got a job with Randell's Shoe Store. They lived in Colorado another 3 years and was offered a job in Mccook, NE with Pat's Bootry. It was decided to make the move as it would be closer to family in Minnesota and easier to make the trips when needed. Maurice was to train in Mc Cook and then be transferred to Grand Island, NE. One year later they made the trip to Grand Island, to see about housing and see if they wanted to move. They found a house while staying there for a week and then made the move. Packed up on a weekend and the truck came on Monday to move things. Maurice worked in the Grand Island store for about 7 years when it was sold, he then had to decide whether he wanted to stay with the new owners or transfer back to McCook. Made the move back to McCook, but this wasn't the right move. Maurice was called by an old friend an asked if he would like to manage a store in Holdrege, NE. It was decided to make the move in 1969. Shirleen worked part time in the store, then worked at the Welfare department for about one year, before Maurice had a job offer in Kernan Shoe Co. in Grand Island, Not being happy as a manager after 9 years the move was made back to Grand Island and Kernan Shoe Co. Maurice began to lose weight and wasn't feeling well, so thought it may be the stress. Shirleen Worked at Red Rooster Auto Parts in Inventory Control in Grand Island, MAURICE & SHIRLEEN CARING FOR FOSTER CHILDREN Caring for 18 children over a few years. Donald Olson was the first child to come live with them as a foster child. He had face surgery right after he was born and this caused his face to be paralyzed. He couldn't smile And had problems with his feet. With corrective shoes he did walk okay. His face stayed paralyzed till finally the welfare,after much prodding said he could be taken to a doctor to see if it could be corrected. This was done-with the surgery his problem had been corrected. He was adopted by a doctor in Minneapolis, MN. Kathy Ebert was the second foster child. She was had Down Syndrome. Her mother wanted her put In foster care,but the father didn't. They were both teachers in the Barnesville, MN School System. They paid for her keep-her mother made all her clothes. They visited every week. She was a very loving child. AT first they told us that she wouldn't eat and wasn't gaining. We took her home and feed her like a normal child, soon she was gaining weight and coming along okay. She lived with Shirleen parents,Cleo & Marguerite Garrison after Maurice & Shirleen moved to Colorado. She was later put in a group home. Most of the children were only in their home a short time. There was a little boy named Richard, that was part Japanese. He was adopted by a ski instructor in CO. As he got older he didn't look Japanese. One little boy was 6, but at that age they seem to have a chip on their shoulder, so It was hard to keep one that age. One little girl was only 1 lb when she was born. She was only 5 lbs when she left the hospital at three months. She had eye damage from the oxygen she was given to survive. Her mother was 14 years old and the grandmother tried to abort the baby, so she was born to early. The father was an older man. She was named Susie, as she got older she named her self Susan Marie. She was the size of a telephone receiver and would fit in a tissue box. Maurice & Shirleen move so she was put in other foster homes and not treated real well. She ended up with an altitude problem. They called her Twinkle Toes in the hospital. She did find her parents, her mother didn't know she lived, but hasn't gotten along with her since she found her, but the father has helped her. Most foster children were put up for adoption in a short time. FAMILY HOBBIES Fishing, camping and boating were the hobbies while living in Minnesota, Colorado and Nebraska. The family always spent their vacations in Minnesota visiting relative and fishing. The first two weeks of June would be spent out at the lake. Maurice & Larry were very good at water skiing. The family spent many weekends in the mountains camping with friends. Maurice's employer had a cabin back in the mountains, where on had to go up a very rough path. Had to stand on the back of one of the cars to make it up there. The camping was really roughing it-first camping trip was with a Caravan, one camper, station wagon, pickup with a tarp to cover the back, so it could be slept in-Art slept with his cap on so his bald head wouldn't get cold. One October a bunch went up , this meant very cold camping. Those were fun times for the family. In the winter the family and friends would gather on Sunday, cook their favorite foods, such as tacos, runzas, tamale pie and other foods. Tacos were interesting at that time- one couldn't buy taco shells at the grocery store. They had to be deep fried and what a mess, but had a system, the men had to fix them. After moving to Nebraska there was some camping, but when Larry left for the service the boat was sold. With a promise to buy a horse later. When Larry finished the first four years of college, horses became the hobby. Larry & Maurice both loved horses, so two horses were purchased. One time the fire department had to be called when there was a fire in the pasture. Maurice was called, he went right over to see about it. The horses were running wild, so he opened the gate to go in to stop them. The fireman called for him to get out of there. He walked over and got a pail of grain and the horses walked right over to him. When he was doing their hoofs they would just sit down on him as he bent over. He would go over everyday and feed- when it was cold he would have to break the ice for them to get a drink Nancy and grandpa rode in the parade in Holdrege. It was a very cold day, but they had a good time. David enjoyed riding the pony and he would sing "Rhine Stone Cowboy" with his dad's old hat on his head. Larry's first colt was born after Maurice passed away. In Memory of his Dad he named it "UH OH MODY". He would have had a big smile if he had known. Maurice enjoyed a big garden & yard. There was lots of good food grown in his garden. He began to grow large radishes. one year he had one 4 feet long. he would have the best potatoes, the whole family enjoyed them. He raised many nice flowers, he could grow about any thing. The fellows at work were all great gardners, so they spent many hours talking about their gardens. They would share seeds and ideas. He would love to just sit out side and relax watching the grass and garden being watered. Shirleen spent many hours doing genealogy while Maurice was working in his yard and garden. MAURICE'S LAST DAYS. October 1989 Maurice had hernia surgery, he seemed to be getting along pretty good, then he started having problems with his lungs. This was thought to be a blood clot from the surgery. He continued to doctor, but didn't get any better. They continued to take samples to check for cancer, but none showed up. March 1990 he entered Bryan Memorial Hospital in Lincoln to have part of his lung removed. When they went in the whole lung was filled with cancer, but it was spotted so was missed when the other tests had been done. They took the lung and told him that if it was a certain cancer the other one may be okay, other wise he would only have till about December to live. They did think he had a good chance by the time he left the hospital. His first words when he found he had cancer was"We will fight this I want to see my first Great grandchild. of course there was no way this could have been. He worked so hard to live. He went to the YMCA everyday to walk so he could expand his lung. he went back to work part time. He had problems with his eating,so it did look like he had the same in the other lung. Although there had never been any discussion about it. A trip was planned to go to a family reunion in Minnesota. Some of his family from Czech were going to be there. He just kept going at the Runion, like he just had to talk to everyone and have a good time. Another trip was planned for Nancy's wedding in Louisiana. He was in the hospital again, so it was hard to know whether he would make the trip. He braced up and the trip was made. He got very tired and didn't feel good, but didn't let on, except started to cry during the reception knowing he would never be at a family gathering again. At that time he know it would be a short time for him. After returning from the wedding he he entered Bryan Hospital again, but his time they told him it was just a matter of time. They felt treatments wouldn't do much good and he didn't want them. He was on oxygen in a few weeks. December 6th Shirleen took time from her job to stay home and care for him. Just before New Years a hospital bed and other equipment was brought-put in the living room. so he could be more comfortable. Hospice helped with his needs and a special friend he had coffee with was with hospice then , so he cared for him while Shirleen would have some running to do. He was very brave, he continued to tell Shirleen things she would need to know when she was alone. He know at the end he was very much loved by everyone, as no one could do enough for him. His last Thanksgiving was a very special time for him. Larry and all his family came and this was a very good time for him. We would want him to lie down and he would say" I may miss something". January 12, he was having such a hard time breathing so Hospice was called and they thought he should go to the hospital,as he had made them promise he would be able to go so Shirleen wouldn't be alone if something happened to him at home. He lived only a few hours. |