Mrs. Frances Ellen Thorn of Moose Jaw, passed away on May 2, 2012. Frances was born in Swift Current on January 24th, 1916, the third daughter in a family of six children to parents Mary Ann (Maye) and Thomas Duffy. They moved to Saskatoon where she started school at St Joseph's. They moved back to Swift Current in 1928 before coming to Moose Jaw in 1930. She graduated from the Convent of Sion in 1933 and later attended Sacred Heart Academy in Regina for a business course. During the 30's the family lived in Pontiex, Indian Head and Gravelbourg. While in Gravelbourg, she was employed at the Model Print Shop as bookkeeper and secretary. In 1940 she came to Moose Jaw to work for a real estate firm and an oil company. In 1942 she married Harold Thorn of Moose Jaw and moved to Regina, where Harold, a flight instructor, trained navigators for the war effort. While there, the young couple was blessed with two children, Mary Alice and Jim. After the war ended they returned to Moose Jaw where she has since resided. After Harold was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1946, Frances raised her children on her own, but was fortunate to have a great support system from both the Duffy and Thorn families. After the children left home Frances went to work in the main office of the Catholic School Board. In 2002, Frances moved to the Bentley where she made many new friends and enjoyed the cards, the coffee room and other activities.
Many organizations benefitted from Frances' generous volunteering including the Catholic Women's league, The Providence Hospital Auxiliary, St Anthony's Home Auxiliary, Providence Place Auxiliary, and the Women's Liberal Association. She particularly enjoyed volunteering in the Raphael Wing of Providence Hospital. Having even received a long service volunteer award from Providence Hospital and Community, her wish was to spend her final days at Providence Place. For the last four months she received the most loving care possible from the amazing staff on the St. Vincent Wing. Frances was predeceased by her husband Harold, her parents Molly and Tom Duffy, her sisters May Downing and Catherine Duffy, her brothers Pat, Jack and Joe Duffy, her sister-in-law Edna Duffy, and brother-in-law Gordon Downing. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Jim and Deb Thorn, and her daughter and son-in-law Mary Alice and Ed Hergott; one sister-in law Doreen Duffy of Ottawa, eight grandchildren: Anne Hergott (Gerald Bohme), Mark Hergott (Julie Courage), Lynne Clark, Pat Hergott (Anne), Cathy Courage (Gregory) all of Calgary, Dorie Anglin (Bill) of Kingston, Ont., Jami Thorn (Jeff Herchuk) of Moose Jaw and Lonni Thorn (Paul Neuls) of Saskatoon. She was also great-grandmother to Jacob and Claire Bohme, Edward and Emma Hergott, Breanna, Alicia and Katelyn Clark, Cormac Hergott, Jackson and Quinton Courage, and Merrick, Alyssa and Jacob Anglin. She is also survived by six nieces Mary Ann Downing, Patricia Shewfelt, Sharon Murphy, Karen Hampson, Kathleen Duffy and Frances Duffy and one nephew Tom Duffy. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 1064 Third Ave. N.W., on Friday May 4, 2012 at 1:00 pm. Reverend Father Louis Kim Nguyen will be the Mass Celebrant. Interment will follow at Rosedale Cemetery. A Prayer Service was held Thursday evening. In living memory of Frances, a tree will be planted in Besant Park by W. J. Jones & Son Funeral Home. Please sign the memorial register book at website: www.wjjonesandson.com (Obituaries).