John Waller Thorne Jr., of Norristown, PA, passed away peacefully, at the age of 83, on Jan. 11, 2024 surrounded by his loving wife and children.
Jack, as he was known, was born in Syracuse on Feb. 18, 1940. Jack was the oldest of four children born to Virginia (Clayton) and John Waller Thorne. Growing up in Skaneateles, Jack spent his winters playing hockey and his summers swimming and boating at Skaneateles Lake, traditions he lovingly passed on to his children.
Jack attended Union College where he met the love of his life, Linda Thorne. After earning a master’s degree in business administration from Boston College, he volunteered for officer candidate school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. His service included a tour in the Vietnam War where he was based in Japan with his family. Upon returning from active duty, he began a long, distinguished career in business. He worked at Stanley Black and Decker and then CIGNA Insurance Agency before leaving to start his own company which was subsequently sold to Electronic Data Systems (EDS). He then started his own consulting business which he enjoyed working at until his late 70s.
An avid sportsman, Jack had a love of playing and watching sports, which he passed on to his own children. Jack played multiple sports throughout his life including football, lacrosse and hockey. He also enjoyed golf, skiing, playing paddle and going on long bike rides with his wife on the Simsbury and Cape Cod bike trails.
The most important and impactful role of Jack’s life was as a husband, father and grandfather. In 1963, Jack married Linda Perry in West Hartford, Connecticut. They raised five wonderful children together, Caroline, Catharine (Kitty), Tom, Jeff and Robert (Tyler). Despite a demanding career, Jack was a hands- on dad and served as a coach on several youth sports teams. His love of hockey was reflected in his involvement with the Simsbury Youth Hockey Association, where he served as president for many years. In his later years, Jack was an active grandfather and was always eager to spend time with his 15 grandchildren based in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
In addition to his loving wife of 60 years, Linda, Jack is survived by his children: Caroline (Jim Scully), Kitty (David Starkey), Tom (Taylor), Jeff (Patty), Tyler (Laura); his fifteen grandchildren: Jack, Ellen, Margaret, Will, Sydney, Luke, Sam, Jake, Lila, Charlie, Charlotte, Morgan, Claire, Trevor and Graham; and his siblings: Sue Bell and Richard (Dick) Thorne. He is predeceased by his mother Virginia, father, John Waller Thorne and his brother William Clayton Thorne.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Jack’s name to your favorite charity.
