Dorthy Louise (Thornton) O'Bryan

Mrs. Dorthy O’Bryan, age 94, former resident of Franklin, KY, passed away on Sunday, October 31st, 2021 at her residence, with her son in Nashville, TN.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 6th, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Gilbert Funeral Home & Crematory in Franklin, KY.  A funeral mass will be held on Saturday November 6th, 2021 at 1:00 PM at St. Mary Catholic Church, 403 North Main Street, Franklin KY with burial to follow in Greenlawn Cemetery in Franklin, KY.

Mrs. O’Bryan was born on March 30th, 1927, in Franklin, KY to the late Mary Susan Mink and the late John Thornton.  She is also preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Merile O’Bryan and a grandson, Bradley Threlkel.

She is survived by 4 children, Merile F. (Carol) O’Bryan, Roy A (Barbara deceased) O’Bryan both of Franklin, KY and Leo A. O’Bryan of Nashville, TN and a daughter Fern M. O’Bryan (Joe) Mercer of Woodburn, KY; 4 grandchildren, Bonnie Spears, Ben O’Bryan, Susan Jennett, and Zackary Threlkel; 2 brothers, David Thornton of Corydon, IN and Jimmy Thornton of Franklin, KY.  She was preceded in death by several brother and sisters.  She is related to the Mink's and Thornton's in the Franklin, Portland and Cross Plains areas.

Her mother moved to New Albany and Corydon Indiana while she was under one year old.  She was raised by her mother and Robert Thornton.  She left school in the 8th grade to help raise her siblings.

She was a pioneer woman and farmhand in her early years.  She plowed fields with horses and cut logs with a cross cut saw.  She milked herds of cattle by hand.  With all of the work and chores she still made biscuits from scratch 3 times a day.

She moved with her husband and family back to Simpson County in late 1960's where she resided until the last 3 1/2 years. Dorthy was a former member of St. Mary Catholic Church.  She came home to Franklin again on Sunday October 31, 2021.