Myriam Thornewell

Myriam Penagos Vargas Thornewell

Beloved Mother and Grandmother

Myriam Penagos Vargas Thornewell, daughter of Efigenia and Aquilino was born in Bogotá, Colombia on November 2, 1940.

She died on February 24, 2026, at the tail end of a snow storm in South Orange, NJ,

at 85 years of age due to complications from the confluence of

mycobacterium disorder and pulmonary fibrosis.

In 1967, Myriam emigrated to the United States.

Her willful, resourceful, adventurous spirit brought her first to Kansas City, Kansas, then Queens, Westchester, Long Island, N.Y. and eventually Bluffton, South Carolina.

Myriam was preceded in death by her husband Charles Thornewell and her daughter Kelly Anne; her parents, Efigenia and Aquilino; siblings Ana Elvia, Luz Marina, Manuel Guillermo and Eduardo; her previous husband James Serra.

She is survived by her grandchildren, whom she loved deeply and was fiercely proud of:

Zizi, Luna, Angelo and Christopher; her daughters, Marta Lucia and Sandra Maria and sons-in-law Jeffrey and David; her siblings Lilia Maria and Alfonso Enrique; her niece and nephews Marta Patricia, Mauricio, Sergio Enrique and Tomas; and many more family and friends who miss her deeply.

Myriam’s desire to create the best possible life for her children motivated and shaped her choices, which also included her 11-year-old nephew Sergio, who emigrated from Colombia to live with her family, where she welcomed him through high school and into college.

Her facility with language, culture and curiosity fueled her life-long-learnership. After becoming a U.S. citizen, Myriam became head teller for the First National Bank of East Islip, which became the Bank of America; the Human Resource Manager and Office Manager for Sturtevant Millwork in Deer Park, N.Y; and soon thereafter, she became a realtor, where she worked alongside Charlie, who became her greatest love and partner.

Myriam was an intelligent, vibrant and multi-dimensional woman who defied static labels. She was fluid, adaptable, and guided by a strong intuition. Her passions were unboxable and unpredictable. Her favorite color was Color. She loved Toto la Moposina, Celia Cruz, Michael Jackson, Placido Domingo, Maria Callas, Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga and the Beatles. A good night could consist of non-stop dancing, driving stick shift, praying novenas on the rosary, or cutting open a perfectly ripe papaya, all in equal measure. She played bocci ball or surprised Charlie with her impressive golf technique, whether in regular or miniature, with equivalent gravity in focus and fun.

Of course, practical jokes, a great sense of humor, and whimsy blended beautifully with Myriam’s love for curating her style, shopping with good people, and enjoying great food.

After retirement, Myriam longed for the natural world and this yearning brought her to climb Machu Picchu, the Amazon in Colombia and work with a trainer to prepare for an adventure vacation in Costa Rica. Her zeal for an adventurous new life allowed for a month-long residency in Tuscany, Italy enjoying wild boar with homemade wines and the art in churches when she wasn’t traversing the mountainside to visit remote farmland.

Of course, as always, prayer got her through. In addition to being a member of Bluffton’s St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, Myriam was a self-proclaimed prayer warrior who believed in the devotional power of positive thought and had this to say about it,

“Believe in prayer, it’s very powerful, the most powerful. Your prayers can make miracles.”

For Myriam, an act of kindness entailed offering you a single-minded prayer for the best case scenario for an audition, or a performance, or a sonogram, or a game, or the flu. And perhaps prayers helped maintain her tenacity to recover after several strokes, heart attacks, and surgeries for the past 17 years.

From Myriam, along with a strong dose of positive thought and gorgeous colors, one could also expect an encounter with the most exquisite listener. Her compassion for your story would translate to empathy as her dark eyes would melt or blaze or crystallize or pierce you as she listened. Those eyes could read any situation and mixed with her honed instincts, her wisdom shone through. And she might offer you a “No me diga” or “Eso no se hace.” Through her eyes we inherited unconditional love, passion for life, sacrifice and strength.

Two events will be held by invitation in Myriam’s honor:

Saturday, June 6, 2026

Celebration of Life Ceremony

3pm - 6pm The Lakehouse, Sun City, Bluffton

Saturday, June 27, 2026

9:30am Burial Service at St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, N.Y.

12-3pm Lunch at Besito, Huntington, N.Y.

The family requests that any memorial contributions be made in Myriam’s memory to:

Staying Connected, Sun City Hilton Head Meals on Wheels

https://stayingconnectedschh.org/donate/ https://tinyurl.com/mucwfbc8