Richard George Thorne

WEST COLUMBIA – Funeral services for Richard “Rick” Thorne, 69, will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2017 at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, West Columbia Chapel. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the chapel. A private burial will be held. Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, 2025 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201, Oliver Gospel Mission, PO Box 7791, Columbia, SC 29202 or a charity of one’s choice.

Rick was born December 18, 1947 in Brooklyn, NY, and passed away on Monday, October 16, 2017 at MUSC after a lengthy illness. He was a son of the late Melville and Evelyn Sheehan Thorne. He graduated from Westfield High School in Westfield, NJ in 1967 and a U.S. Navy veteran who served two tours in Vietnam on the U.S.S. Arnold J. Isabel. His move to SC in 1972 divided the family into what is lovingly referred to as the “Southern Thorne’s” and the “Northern Thorne’s”. He retired from Carolina Eastman in 2008 after 32 years. Rick was an avid sports fan, following the Gamecocks, NY Giants and NY Mets and was a member of SC Military Miniature Men’s Society. He enjoyed life and will forever be remembered by his laid-back, easy-going personality, his sense of humor and those fabulous facial expressions.

Rick is survived by his wife, Myra Jane Camp Thorne of West Columbia; daughter, Jana Thorne Padowicz and son-in-law, Ryan, of Lexington and two grandsons, Robert Elijah and Richard Wyatt; brothers, Edwin Thorne of Plymouth, MA, Melville Thorne and sister-in-law, Sue, of Somers, CT, and numerous nieces and nephews who he loved dearly. He was predeceased by his son, Richard Todd Thorne and nephews, Matthew Richard Thorne, William Charles Kress and Benjamin Gerome Camp.

The family would like to thank the doctors, residents and nursing staff at MUSC, Ashley River Tower, 6 West Unit for their loving care and treatment of Rick during his illness.