M.S. St. Marie Thornton Hammonds, was born on April 24, 1918 in Pittsburgh, PA.  The youngest child to John and Francis Thornton.  Orphaned at age six, Marie was fostered until age sixteen by Chorister St. Rachel McClain of Pittsburgh, PA.  Marie then relocated to Cleveland OH to be reunited with her sisters.

Marie attended McKelvey Elementary and Herron Hill Junior High in Pittsburgh, PA, and was a graduate of Central High School in Cleveland, OH.

She was joined in Holy Matrimony on May 17, 1935 to Marcus A. Hammonds, Sr.  To this union eight children were born.

A lifetime member of the Church of God and Saints of Christ, she was blessed at birth at birth and later baptized at the age of twelve by the late Bishop Abel S. Dickerson of Pittsburgh, PA.  She was a faithful, dependable worker in the church.  Marie was always willing to work whereever there was a need.  She served as Daughter's Secretary in Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, OH, Washington, DC and Middletown, OH; and was active on serveral committees such as the Sick, Lookout, Ways & Means and Charitable.  A lover of music, Marie was an active member in the church choir for over fifty years.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband of sixty five years (Elder Marcus A. Hammonds, Sr.), two daughters, Janice Lashley and Marlene Shipman; one brother, Harold Thornton, four sisters, Mable Jeffries, Alice Hayes, Grace Freyer an Ruth Murdock.

She leaves to mourn her departure: four sons, Elder Marcus A. (Debra), Elder John (Myrna) of Columbus, Ohio, David of Irvington, NJ, and Joseph (Elaine) of Newport News, VA, two daughters: Joyce Smith of Oxon Hills, MD and Diane (Nat) Gorman of Washington, DC, twenty-three grandchildren; forty-nine great-grandchildren, eighteen great-great grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

"In her own words"