Flora L. Thornton

Who was Flora L. Thornton?

Flora Laney Thornton was the widow of Tex Thornton. Flora was born in Independence, Montgomery county, Kansas, the daughter of Charles W. and Effie M. Laney, and moved with her family to Fort Worth, Tarrant county, Texas. She attended Texas Tech University, majoring in nutrition and clothing design. She later moved to New York to study voice. She appeared in two Broadway musicals, prior to marrying her first husband, Charles "Tex" Thornton in 1937. She married Eric Small in 2005.

She was known for her philanthropic activity in the Los Angeles area, including her support of the USC Thornton School of Music, the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Pepperdine University, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Los Angeles Music Center, and the Los Angeles Opera.