Syrena Antinette Bradford

Syrena Antinette Bradford was known as “Toni” to those who knew her
best. She became part of the Thornton family in the fall of 1960. She
was 3 years old.

Syrena was born on June 22, 1957, in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, to the
union of Allen Bradford and Maxine Bull Bear. She was a Native
American and a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Nation.

In 1960, Syrena and her mother moved to Chicago. Her mother lost
custody of her and Syrena was temporarily placed with the Thornton
family as a foster child. She remained with the Thorntons for six years.
During those years, Syrena’s mother improved and stabilized her life.
She had remarried and had two additional children, Elizabeth and
Bonnie. Syrena returned to her mother and her stepfather (Mr. Asperin)
and their family in 1967.

A year later, Syrena’s mother died in childbirth. Syrena returned to the
Thornton family and maintained regular contact with her sisters and
stepfather. Syrena was a treasured and beloved member of the Asperin
and Thornton families.

Syrena lived her whole life in the Chicago area. She is a graduate of St.
Mary of Providence school and attended Harold Washington College in
Chicago for two years.

During her years at St. Mary’s she became Catholic and was a member
of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church during her years living in
Hyde Park from 1975 until 2009.

Syrena was also a valued volunteer with the American Red Cross in
Chicago and assisted with the Holiday Knit Shoppe, an annual
Christmas fundraising effort.

Syrena enjoyed her friends and family. She moved into a group home in
2009 and continued to be self-sufficient until the Covid pandemic of
2020. She had lived with chronic medical conditions since birth and
developed additional medical issues later in life, but did not let them
limit her activities or dampen her enthusiasm for life. Her inner strength
and resilience were powerful and unmatched.

She died in her residential home in Des Plaines on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

She is survived by her brother, William H. Thornton, her Sister-in-law, Ilene Thornton, many relatives of her birth mother's family and a host of friends. 

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