Front Range Seed Analysts
1998 Seed Forum Volume 12 Number 2
Remembering Mildred Lyon Thornton
1904-1998
Mildred Lyon Thornton, former director of the Colorado Seed Laboratory, died Saturday, March 28, 1998. A memorial service was held for her at the Foothills Unitarian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado on April 4, 1998.
Mildred Lyon was born July 5, 1904 in Denver, Colorado. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 1926 and a master’s degree in plant physiology and seed taxonomy in 1928 from Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) becoming the first woman to do so at CA&M. She began her life’s work as a seed analyst in her sophomore year in college and was mentored by Anna Maude Lute, grass taxonomy professor and chief seed analyst at the Colorado Seed Laboratory.
During her graduate studies, Mildred met fellow botany student Bruce Thornton. After graduation she left Fort Collins to work as a junior botanist at the Federal Seed Laboratory in Washington D.C. Bruce followed her east and they married there on December 16, 1929. Bruce and Mildred returned to Fort Collins where Bruce accepted a full-time job as a seed analyst at the Colorado Seed Laboratory. Mildred worked with Anna Lute researching germination and dormancy of seeds.
Mildred and Bruce had two children and for the next twenty years Mildred raised her children and worked intermittently at the Seed Lab. She volunteered for 20 years with the Girl Scouts and helped found the Fort Collins League of Women Voters. She was a charter member of the Colorado/Wyoming Academy of Sciences and worked on the board of the Community Chest, now known as the United Way.
Bruce was named director of the Colorado Seed Lab in 1941. A state policy that prohibited two family members from working at the same office kept Mildred off the official payroll for years. However, she continued her work on a part-time basis, mainly working without pay. When her husband retired in 1961, Mildred took over as director of the Laboratory.
Throughout her nine year tenure as director, Mildred oversaw the move of the lab to new facilities and continued the lab’s reputation as a leader in seed research and training of seed analysts. Her excellent work earned Mildred several awards including Colorado State’s Henry Award, Honor Alumnus, and Honorary AOSA member. Colorado’s seed industry also recognized her distinguished service with an award from the Colorado Seed Grower’s Association. Mildred was the AOSA’s representative at ISTA’s 15th biennial meeting held in New Zealand. She retired in 1970 but continued to serve the profession through her role on the advisory board for the Larimer County Voc-Tech Seed Analysis program during the 1980’s. She has been a sponsor for the Front Range Seed Analysts since 1988.
One daughter, one sister, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive her. Mildred was preceded in death by her husband, son and brother. Memorial contributions may be made to the Thornton Lecture fund at the CSU Foundation or the Fort Collins Public Library.
Mildred’s remarkable dedication and consummate seed analysis skills are inspirational. She will be greatly missed.
Submitted by Dr. Arnold Larsen
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Fort Collins Public Library at 201 Peterson St. , Fort Collins, CO 80524 or the newly established endowment for the Thornton Lecture Fund. The lectures by visiting scientists will be in the fields of botany, plant sciences or biological sciences. Checks for the endowment should be made out to "CSU Foundation" fund number 47395 - Thornton Lecture Fund. The address is: CSU Foundation, 502 University Services Center, Fort Collins, CO 80523.