Obituaries
 By  Staff Reports Published 
7:05 pm Monday, October 28, 2013

Rachel Estella Barnes Thornton

Rachel Estella Barnes Thornton

October 25, 2013

Rachel Estella Barnes Thornton, 97, passed away Friday, October 25, 2013, at Rose Manor in Haleyville.

Mrs. Thornton was a lifelong resident of Franklin County and a member of Russellville First Baptist Church. She was the oldest of 10 children.

The funeral service will be Wednesday, October 30, 2013, at 11 a.m., at Pinkard Funeral Home Chapel in Russellville, with burial in Tharptown Cemetery. Officiating will be Clinton Busler, Randy Nichols, and Stratton Barnes. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 10a.m. until

11 a.m.

She is survived by her children, Annette Sturdivant and husband, Billy, Brenda Oliver and husband, Troy, Kathy Gray and husband, Steve; daughter-in-law, Sandra Thornton; brother, Stratt Barnes; 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Mary Willie Thornton Hester, and husband, Clanton, Kathy Barnes, Bernice Barnes; brother-in-law, Cecil Thornton; a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be grandsons and relatives.

She was preceded in death by parents, John Howard and Laura Malone Barnes; husband, Hubert John Thornton; children, Paul Hugh Thornton, Bobby Jo Thornton; brothers and sisters, Zollie Barnes, Arland Jo Barnes, Retha Barnes Weems, Marie Barnes Porter, Jack Barnes, Wayne Lee Barnes, Bennie Barnes, and Patsy Barnes.

Also on Franklin County Times
Housing authority PILOT is waived
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City councilmembers recently voted to waive a payment in lieu of taxes, often called PILOT, from the Russellville Housing Authority. Pu...
Playground safety concerns are addressed
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City officials say steps are being taken to improve safety at the playground in City Lake Park after parents raised concerns about dama...
Petition: Accountability sought from AHSAA
High School Sports, Main, Red Bay Tigers, ...
By Brady Petree and Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
RED BAY — A petition created by a Red Bay man calls for the Alabama High School Athletic Association to replay six state semifinal basketball games af...
State’s positive CWD cases nearly doubles
Franklin County, News
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
The total number of positive cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) found in white-tailed deer almost doubled in Alabama following the end of the 2025...
Pace crowned Miss RHS
News, Russellville
By María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimew.com 
March 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Lily Cate Pace was crowned the new Miss RHS during the 44th annual Miss RHS Pageant. Pace, a senior at Russellville High School who is ...
Scholars Bowl team competes at nationals
News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 11, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Snow and ice kept the Northwest Shoals Community College Scholars Bowl team from attending a January qualifying tournament, but it sti...
The gimmick that became a calling
News
Chelsea Rutherford For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
Rick Revel was just 15 when he stood backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and received career-shaping advice from country icon Roy Acuff — if you want to m...
Read Across America celebrated
Franklin County, News
In the Community
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 11, 2026
Elementary schools throughout the county marked Read Across America Week with activities. At Vina Elementary School, firefighter Justin Epperson and E...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *