Patricia Grady Thornberry

Patricia Grady Thornberry, 100, of Clarendon, passed away on Sunday, August 17, 2025, in Memphis.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 23, 2025, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Viewing will be held at the funeral home on Friday, August 22 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Patricia Grady, the daughter of Don Nelson Grady and Jewel Kerbow Grady, was born at Clarendon, October 9, 1924. She was the descendant of early day pioneers who came to what would become Briscoe County and Donley County. She grew up at the family ranch in Briscoe County and at Clarendon. She belonged to the Clarendon First United Methodist Church. She attended school in Clarendon and graduated from Clarendon High School in 1942. Pat then attended TSCW (now Texas Woman’s University) where she received a BA degree in Business/Economics.

Pat married Bill Thornberry June 20, 1946, at the Little Chapel in the Woods, Denton, Texas. They lived in Clarendon two years before moving to the Grady ranch. She was the fourth generation of her family to live at the ranch, founded in 1898, and this is where they brought up their two sons. They farmed and ranched, later leasing the ranch from her parents. They raised commercial and registered Hereford cattle and belonged to the Texas Hereford Association, the American Hereford Association, and the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raiser’s Association. In 2016 the family received the State of Texas Department of Agriculture’s Family Land Heritage Award for ownership and management of the ranch for 118 years. The fifth and sixth generations are continuing the Spike A Ranch legacy.

Pat had a lifelong interest in history and archaeology and belonged to the Clarendon Genealogy Society and the Clarendon Archaeology Society. She was also a member of Les Beaux Arts Club and the Scarlet Saints Chapter of the Red Hat Society.
Pat was devoted to God, her family, and the ranch.

She was preceded in death by Bill on December 16, 2010.

She is survived by two sons, Richard and wife, Leane, of Lubbock and William Don (Sandy) and wife, Bobbie, of Clarendon; grandchildren Trisha DuBose of Lubbock, Amy Thornberry of Clarendon, Seth Thornberry (Tara) of Dallas, and Carey Thornberry (Ashley) of Early; great-grandchildren Mia, Perry, and Phoebe DuBose; Evelyn and Minerva Thornberry; Hallie and Harper Thornberry and Hayden Welch; and nephews Mac, Drew, and Lance Thornberry and their families.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 364, Clarendon, Texas 79226; Silverton Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 250, Silverton, Texas 79257; or to the charity of your choice.