Nicolette Heather Thornton died May 22, 2004, of an apparent
massive stroke after three prior, smaller strokes.
Nicolette Heather Thornton died May 22, 2004, of an apparent massive stroke after three prior, smaller strokes.
She was 37 years old.
Mrs. Thornton was born in Chicago on January 3, 1967. In 1978 the family moved to Felton, where she and her sister kept ponies and horses at a corral by the river.
She loved barrel racing and was quite good at it. She graduated from San Lorenzo Valley High School in 1984 and attended Cabrillo College, while simultaneously managing a modeling agency in San Jose and modeling in several shows.
In 1988 she transferred to UCLA to pursue her goal of becoming a TV anchorwoman.
In 1990 she suffered a severe head injury, resulting in the loss of right eye and paralysis of her left side. While her chances of remaining alive were only 5 percent, she survived due to a skilled neurosurgeon, many prayers and her strong will to live.
She returned to the Santa Cruz area and began the long journey to regain full use of her body and to relearn academic skills. She attended UCSC, majored in psychology and lacked only one course to graduate.
She struggled with very difficult genetic flaws, including severe depression/anxiety and a predisposition to addiction. The head injury was a third blow, one that constantly challenged her self-esteem. Yet she was a beautiful, loving person who became a minister in the Universal Life Church and wrote many compassionate poems for friends grieving the loss of a loved one.
She also wrote poems for her mother. Her dreams were to write a book to help others with similar struggles and to begin a ministry. She founded Morning Doves Ministries and designed a symbol for it – a yellow, Celtic cross with a red dove flying across, holding in its beak a branch with green leaves.
She is survived by her husband, Jim Gottardi of Alameda; a son, whom she lovingly gave up for adoption at his birth some years ago; her beloved cat Snowflake; mother, Louise Thornton Loots, who lives near Elkhorn Slough; father, Douglas Thornton and family of Royal Oaks; sister, Keira Pride and her husband David with sons Brandon and Aaron, of Gilroy; brother, Jonathon Thornton and his fiancee Patricia Mendoza of Watsonville; grandparents, George and Virginia Thornton of Chicago, Ill; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by George and Helen Loots, of Manson, Iowa.
A memorial service was held June 8 in Ceres. A second will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 17, in the Student Center at Gavilan College, where her mother taught English. All staff, students and friends are invited.
A final service will be held on Saturday, June 26 at 1 p.m. in the Upper Room at First Cong. Church, 900 High St. in Santa Cruz. All are welcome. To all those who loved and cared for Nicolette, thank you.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Nicolette’s name may be made to any organization that rescues cats, to any food pantry or to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill at: Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Santa Cruz County, P.O. Box 360, Santa Cruz, CA 95061.
