Beatrice Thornton

BEATRICE ANN POELMAN THORNTON

1940 – 2020

In Loving Memory

Ann passed away in May 2020. She was born September 13, 1940 in Salt Lake City, the lastborn child of Walter J. and Eva Beatrice (Squires) Poelman. Ann’s mother was the thirty-third and lastborn child of John Paternoster Squires, thus Ann was the youngest of the generation of the grandchildren of that pioneer barber.

Ann attended SLC schools and the University of Utah, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She taught school in Torrance, California; Australia; and Salt Lake City.

She was preceded in death by sisters Ellen and Bonnie and brothers W. Squires and Jaye. She is survived by son Blaine Thornton, brothers Robert and Blair Poelman, and many nieces and nephews.

Last October, Ann was glad to be able to spend an afternoon with some of those nieces including Emily Barlow who stated, “I am very grateful Ann was with us for our most recent cousin lunch. She was quiet and thoughtful. All of her comments were positive and kind. I especially remember her saying that she had been raised by very good parents. What a sweet memory.”

We express gratitude to ministering sisters Jewel Lefever and Sylvia Luker for their kindness. Ann enjoyed their visits and shared stories with them about her Squires heritage and recently-discovered Roggen ancestry.