Tammy Thornton, age 68, of Decorah, Iowa, formerly of St. Lucas, Iowa, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by her family after a long, courageous 5-year battle with cancer.

Memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds Community Building, 900 E Main St, Decorah, IA 52101, with a Celebration of Life to follow the memorial service from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Pizza & Refreshments will be served at the Celebration of Life. 

A portion of Tammy’s ashes will be buried at Phelps Cemetery in a private service at a later date.  The remaining ashes will be spread with her parents and sisters at St. Lucas Catholic Cemetery and Kalona Catholic Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the family to help fulfill Tammy’s final wish: bringing a Christmas light display to life in Phelps Park—a project already in progress and close to her heart.

Tamara Ann (Mihm) Thornton was born on November 8, 1957, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in New Hampton, Iowa, to Marinus and Margaret (Mitchell) Mihm. She attended St. Luke’s Schools and graduated from Turkey Valley High School. Following high school, Tammy’s first job was working at Rambo Pharmacy, and she eventually built a long and dedicated career at Rockwell Collins, where she worked for 41 years before retiring in 2019.

On November 11, 1978, Tammy was united in marriage to Alan (Al) Thornton at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in St. Lucas. Together, they built a life centered around family, hard work, and unwavering support for one another.

Tammy faced a five-year battle with cancer with extraordinary courage and determination. During that time, she endured 202 trips to Rochester, 96 chemotherapy infusions, 56 oral chemotherapy pills, treatment for 26 brain tumors, 22 brain radiation sessions, 36 PET and MRI scans, a mastectomy, three seizures including an emergency stay at Mayo Clinic, a port surgery, a fall leading to a hip replacement, and a two-week rehabilitation stay at Mayo. Through it all, Tammy’s smile, positivity, and unshakeable faith shone through every challenge. She believed deeply that this journey was part of her plan and faced each day with grace, humor, and an unwavering spirit.

Tammy had a love for travel and especially cherished time spent boating and camping along the Mississippi River. She was happiest when surrounded by her family—whether that meant time at the campground, holidays together, or simply having everyone close. Tammy also had a well-known knack for keeping things just right—she took pride in a clean, orderly home and was always happiest when everything was in its place. She was strong, resilient, and deeply devoted to the people she loved.

Above all, Tammy was a loving wife, mom, and grandma who fought courageously and loved fiercely.

Tammy is survived by her husband, Al Thornton of Decorah, Iowa; her children: Adam (Lana) Thornton of Decorah, Iowa (step-grandson Breydon Johnson; grandsons Andrew and Corbin), Lucas (Sami) Thornton of Decorah, Iowa (grandchildren Landry and Quinn), and Taisha (Tanner) Douglas of Windsor, Wisconsin (grandchildren Emerie and Kip); her brothers: Gary (Janice) Mihm of West Union, Iowa, and Bill Mihm of St. Lucas, Iowa; her sister: Deb (Steve) Pesek of New Hampton, Iowa; brothers-in-law: Jim (Kris) Cayton, Larry (Lorris) Thornton of Shakopee, Minnesota, and Oz (Vicky) Osterhoudt of Fairbault, Minnesota; sisters-in-law: Lori Vetter of Grimes, IA, Denise (Leonard) Ziech of Merrill, Wisconsin, and Jenny Thornton of Decorah, Iowa; along with many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Marinus and Margaret (Mitchell) Mihm; her twin sisters, Jacque (Mihm) Cayton and Jolene (Mihm), and her husband Bill Galligan; her mother- and father-in-law, Glen and Delores Thornton; and her sister-in-law, Linda Osterhoudt.

Tammy will be remembered for her strength, her fierce love for her family, and her unmistakable way of keeping life (and everything in it) just the way it should be. Her absence will be deeply felt, but her love will remain a steady presence in the lives of those who knew her.