Sharon Ruth Thornburg, 78, passed away at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at home with her husband and children present.
She was born in Muncie on May 31,1942, to Helen and Edward Harper. She is preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Josiah Workman, a granddaughter, Alexis Somerford, and a great- granddaughter, Violet Johnson.
Sharon married Danny Thornburg on December 31,1976 and together they blended a family of nine children: Ronda Johnson (husband, Randy), Muncie; Linda Hughes (husband, Robert), Selma; Debra Somerford, Port Orange, FL.; Kimberly Windjack, Muncie; Colby Thornburg, New Smyrna Beach, FL.; Dale Workman, Pigeon Forge, TN; Brandy Betz (husband, Todd), DeLand, FL.; Melissa Carpenter, Selma; and Molly Lull (husband, Jeffrey), Muncie. Besides being survived by her children, she also has twenty-six grandchildren and twenty-nine great-grandchildren, two brothers, Edward Harper (wife, Judy), Muncie; Richard Harper (wife, Cathy), Muncie; and one sister, Martha Strong (husband, Richard), Royerton.
Proverbs 31:28-29 states: "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ’Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'" To her children, Sharon was their best friend, confidante, comforter, doctor at times, therapist, banker, loan officer, and most importantly their intercessor. Her faith and love of God was incredible, and she would spend endless hours in fervent prayer for her children. When she said she stayed up all night praying for you, you could take her comforting words knowing that she had been up all night in her chair praying. She nurtured each one individually in their times of need. She was forgiving. She was persistent. She was encouraging. She was obedient to God, and a servant to Him and her family. She knew that her calling from God was to be a mother, and she joyed in fulfilling that calling. She without a doubt heard from the voice of Jesus when entering into Heaven, " Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she too had an unconditional love towards each one of them, and she too nurtured each one individually in their times of need. She prayed for them daily, told them stories of times when she was a child, and told them of Jesus. She hugged and kissed on them but also reprimanded them when the incident called for such an action.
To her husband, she would daily have, what she called, a ‘golden hour, even when all nine children were in the home. It was made to be a very special time each day. Her words of Godly wisdom expressed her respect, forgiveness, selflessness, persistence, patience, admiration, and love for him. When he heard her say, “.. ..you are the love of my life,” it was never meant as a cliche as others might have taken it. Her love towards him was a greater love than any one man could experience from one woman. He will hold within his heart many memories of the special relationship God blessed them with. Today, he too rises up and calls her ‘blessed’ and praises her with the words, “'Many women have done excellently, but you, Sharon, surpass them all.'
Funeral Services will be held at Parson Mortuary, 801 West Adams Street Muncie, at 10:00 am Wednesday September 9, 2020, with her son, Pastor Dale Workman Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Springport Indiana. Friends may call at the Funeral Home on Tuesday September 8, 2020 from 3-7 pm and Wednesday from 9:00 am until the time of the service.
The family will receive online condolences at www.parsonmortuary.com.
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