Kristin Thornton, 61, of Westport, CT, died peacefully on April 22, 2026, after a long illness. Born on September 20, 1964, in Boston, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of Kathleen Doyle Thornton and Richard Underhill Thornton, their first child and the apple of their eye.

Raised in Westport, Kristin attended St. Luke’s School in New Canaan and graduated from Staples High School in 1983. She later attended Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and studied abroad for a year at the University of Stirling in Stirling, Scotland, an experience she cherished deeply.

Kristin spent 35 years in operations at Morgan Stanley, beginning in 1990 at Smith Barney. Her career took her from Boston to Westport to Greenwich, and she was deeply devoted to her work and colleagues.

Kristin was deeply loved by her three nieces and nephews, who eagerly awaited her frequent visits, her brilliantly simple words of wisdom, and the legendary sleepovers that featured far more cartoon marathons than actual sleep.

She is survived by her mother, Kathleen Thornton; her sister, Stephanie Thornton Moore Girling, and her husband, Steve Girling; her brother, William Henry Thornton, and his wife, Jessica Branson; and her nieces and nephews, Elizabeth, Savannah, and Spencer Girling. She is also survived by her aunt and uncle, Gail and Alan Shea; her aunt, Deenie Thornton; and many beloved cousins.

Kristin was predeceased by her father, Richard Thornton; her uncles, Robert J. Doyle, John J. Thornton Jr., and William H. Thornton; and her grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. John J. Thornton (Henrietta Underhill) and Mr. and Mrs. Clement J. Doyle (Beatrice Sykora).

Kristin will be remembered for her irreverent sense of humor, her remarkable memory, and the warmth, loyalty, and laughter she brought to the lives of those who knew and loved her.

A funeral service to celebrate Kristin’s life will be held at St. Luke’s Church in Westport, at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 1, followed by a reception and burial at Willowbrook Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Kristin’s name to the Healthcare Workers Fund at the Maefair Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Trumbull, CT.