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Regina Willetta “Gina” (Thornton) Calder, 56, passed away on October 31, 2026, in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was born August 18, 1970, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Robert and Sue Thornton.
Gina attended grade school in Bengal, Indiana, and graduated from Casey High School in Casey, Illinois, in 1988. She served her country in the United States Army from 1990 to 1993 and again from 2007 to 2011, retiring as a Sergeant. A combat veteran, she deployed to Iraq from 2007 to 2008 as a horizontal construction engineer and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, and the Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star. In 1990 she moved to Somerset, Kentucky, near much of the Thornton family, and made it her home for most of her adult life.
Her greatest loves were her children and grandchildren. She had a good sense of humor and loved to make people smile. She took real joy in the holidays and in giving gifts to the people she cared about. Gina was a believer in Jesus Christ.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Sue Thornton; her brother, Steve Thornton; and her nephew, Reid Thornton.
She is survived by her sons, Charlie (Vanessa) Wieland, Jarred “JD” (Haley) Bird Thornton, and Casey (Carolyn) Bird; her brothers, Robert “Bobby” Thornton and Scott Thornton; and her grandchildren, Landry and Lyndon Wieland, Enola Bird Thornton, Genevieve Bird, and Indiana Bird.
Visitation will be held Friday, November 6, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Southern Oaks Funeral Home in Somerset, with the funeral service following at 1 p.m. Burial with military honors will follow at Mill Springs National Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Southern Oaks Funeral Home.
Full Military Honors will be conducted by American Legion Honor Guard Post#38.