Ida Thornton Obituary

Ida Mae Thornton CUMMING, GA - Ida Mae Delores Grimball Thornton, 83, passed away peacefully at home in Cumming, GA, on November 10, 2025. Born on January 31, 1942, on Wadmalaw Island, SC, Lois, as she was affectionately called, was known from a young age for her gifts in cooking and homemaking. A graduate of South Carolina State University, she taught high school culinary arts for many years, inspiring countless students in the Charleston area. Even in retirement, she continued creating comfort and beauty. Through every meal and every garment she stitched, she made people feel loved, seen, and held. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julius C. Thornton; daughter, Melanie Thornton; and siblings, Marian G. Middleton, Vermelle G. Bellinger, and Rufus W. Grimball, Sr. She is survived by her daughter, Lois Chisolm (Todd Sr.); grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sisters, Edna Lee Grimball and Josephine Edith Branch; and many loving relatives and friends. A celebration of life will be held November 22, 2025, at 3 p.m. at Salem Presbyterian Church on Wadmalaw Island, SC.