Obituary: Sondra Sue (Schwink) Thurston Breeding, 77, of Ludington

Sondra Breeding

Obituary: Sondra Sue (Schwink) Thurston Breeding, 77, of Ludington

Sondra Sue (Schwink) Thurston Breeding, 77 of Ludington, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2019, at her home surrounded by her children. Her devotion to family and her firm belief in God supported her in this journey and ultimately gave her peace.

Sondra was born on February 3, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Theodore and Katherine (Kettman) Schwink. As a teenager, Sondra and her family moved to Michigan. She attended Mason County Central High School where she graduated in 1959. At the age of 20, Sondra married her high school sweetheart James Thurston on May 3, 1962, at the First Methodist Church of Scottville. Their first child, Donald, was born in 1963, followed by Kevin in 1965, and Karen in 1967. The Thurston family established a residence south of Scottville close to their grandparents, Anthony and Molly Thurston. The family enjoyed various activities including camping, dirt biking, and fishing.

Sondra was a licensed practical nurse, but chose to work in the field of banking. For 18 years she worked at Old Kent Bank in Ludington as a teller and eventually as a branch manager. After the death of her husband in 1986, Sondra moved to Grand Rapids where she continued to work at Credit Union One. She married Neil Breeding on December 17, 1988. Upon retirement, she returned to Mason County to be with friends and family. Sondra loved being a mother and grandmother and was richly blessed by her relationships with her Lutheran church families in Grand Rapids and Scottville, supportive friends at her home in the Towers of Ludington, and a lifetime filled with wonderful friends new and old. Nothing pleased her more than spending time with her grandchildren and baking wonderful treats for others.

Sondra will be lovingly remembered by her two children, Kevin (Dena) Thurston of Fountain, Karen (Rick) Pate of Rome, Georgia, and daughter-in-law Jody Thurston of Grand Rapids. Also surviving are two sisters, Nancy (John) Morrison of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Susan (Stuart) Draper of Fort Myers, Florida. Surviving grandchildren are Tyler Thurston of Madison Heights, and Benjamin and Kennedy Thurston of Grand Rapids. She is also survived by four special nieces Carol, Kim, Mary, and Jennifer and numerous great-nieces and nephews. 

Sondra was preceded in death by her parents; niece Dawnell Draper; husbands James Thurston and Neil Breeding; and oldest son, Donald Thurston.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 from 6to 8 p.m. at Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington.  A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Scottville, with visitation starting at 10 a.m.  Pastor James Schroeder will officiate the service. A church luncheon will take place immediately following the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church where Sondra was a proud and devoted member of the congregation.

Arrangements were entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.OakGroveLudington.com.