Patricia Ann Clancy Thorn

1937 - 2017

Patricia Ann Clancy Thorn, 80, died peacefully and surrounded by her family on Sept. 20, 2017, from respiratory failure.
Pat was born on Sept. 17, 1937, in Hornell, N.Y., to Francis Eugene Clancy and Marguerite June Taft Clancy. She grew up on the family farm on Crosby Creek Road in Western New York and loved to visit family there. Her ashes will be spread over the hills where she loved to watch the deer. She attended Syracuse University and graduated from Geneseo Nursing College.
As an adventurous young woman she answered the call to become a nurse in Seward, Alaska, in 1959. She met and married Gene Thorn in 1960. Together they raised their family and owned and operated Thorn's Showcase Lounge for over 50 years. They survived the great Alaska Earthquake of 1964, and also rebuilt after a catastrophic fire destroyed their business in 1971. She was a fighter and had beaten cancer twice.
Known to many as ""Granny,"" she was a quiet, kind, compassionate and patient woman. These qualities served her well in raising her family and in being a nurse for 50 years. After raising her children, she resumed her nursing career and loved serving her patients at Wesleyan Nursing Home. She retired in 2010.
She was a voracious reader, adored animals, enjoyed sports and absolutely loved the Chicago Cubs. She proudly wore her Cubs jersey while in her hospital bed. For many years, she served as the official statistician for the Seward Seahawks basketball teams. She was the Seward Seahawks Booster Club fan of the year in 2005. Every Thanksgiving, she loved to attend the Great Alaska Shootout basketball tournament. She also enjoyed gardening and tending to her flowers but, quite frankly, had a ""brown thumb.""
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Louis ""Gene"" Thorn; children, Craig (Debbie) Thorn, Steven (Shannon) Thorn and Karyn (Leif) Clemens; stepdaughters, LuJean (Steve) Larson and Jackie (Chuck) Anderson; and brothers, Fran (Lucile) Clancy, Jack (MaryAnn) Emo and Alan (Mary Jane) Clancy. She especially loved her six grandchildren, Kylie (Matthew), Zach (Ciara), Michael, Taylor, Braden and Annalene; and her adopted grandson, Jason Long; and granddaughter, Amber Olson. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father; and her brother, Richard; and sister, Beverly. She was deeply loved and will be dearly missed.
A Memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at the Seward High School auditorium. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Seward Community Fund, the American Lung Association or the American Cancer Society.