Richard Thorne

Richard “Dick” Thorne, 87, of Lecanto, FL died on Thursday, October 1, 2015 at Hospice of Citrus and the Nature Coast in Lecanto, FL.  Dick was born on May 21, 1928 in Bronx, NY, son of William and Jennie Thorne.  He was the youngest of 12 children.  He served in Korea with the U.S. Army and was awarded a Purple Heart.  Dick worked as an electrical installer for Western Electric.  He moved to Lecanto in 1987 from Bay Shore, Long Island, NY.  Dick was a founding member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hernando where he served as an assistant minister, past president of the church council, choir member and on the evangelism committee.  He also volunteered at the Citrus County Library, and provided movies and entertainment at various nursing homes.

Survivors include his wife, Vera Thorne of Lecanto, FL; seven children, Richard Thorne, II and wife Ava of Opelika, AL, John Thorne and wife Linda of Cannon, GA, and Lawrence Thorne of Royston, GA; Keith Svendsen and wife Susan of Dayton, OH, Claudia Manzella and husband Robert of Holbrook, NY, Brian Svendsen and wife Jennifer of Elgin, IL, and Pamela Svendsen of Lecanto, FL; eleven grandchildren, Richard, III, Amy, Jarred, Brian, Anna, Kacie, Erik, Leif, Robert, Lauren, and Megan; and three great grandchildren, Caroline, Annabelle, and Kallon.

A memorial service for Mr. Thorne will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hernando, FL.  Reverend Kenneth Blyth will preside.  Interment will be at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.  Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness, FL.