Obituary of Gordon Stewart Thorne

We announce with sadness the passing of Gordon Stewart Thorne, who died peacefully on April 24, 2023, at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton.

Gordon was born on May 19, 1929, in Havelock, Kings County, NB, the son of the late Brewer W. and Sadie Thorne. He was the beloved husband, friend, and partner of Shirley (Corey) Thorne. They were happily married for almost 67 years.

Besides his wife, he is survived by children Michael (Shawn Cossey) Thorne of Waterborough, NB, Catherine (Scott) MacKeil of Dartmouth, NS and Andrew (Jodi Camp) Thorne of Fort McMurray, AB. He is also survived by his grandchildren Jake (Ellen) Thorne of Schreiber, ON, Joel (Bre) Thorne of Halifax, NS, Sarah MacKeil of Dartmouth, NS, and Mathew and Jennifer Thorne of Fort McMurray, AB; as well as great-grandchildren Kallie, Noah, and Hunter Thorne, nephew Dr. David Thorne, niece Ruth (Lawrence) McGuire, and many special cousins.

In addition to his parents and grandparents, Gordon was predeceased by granddaughter Emily Thorne, as well as his brother Douglas (Doreen) Thorne and sister Joyce (George) Lawrence.

Gordon was a graduate of Havelock High School. He assisted his dad in the post office, worked at the Bank of Nova Scotia, and attended Gordon College. His florist training began in 1955, followed by employment at Goold’s Nurseries in Sussex. He then opened a florist shop in Petitcodiac from 1959 to 1964. Gordon moved his family and business to Fredericton, opening Thorne’s Flowers in July 1964. During his thirty-five years as a florist, Gordon received several awards from FTD to honour his exceptional work.

Gordon was a member of Brunswick Street Baptist Church for almost sixty years. He enjoyed music and sang in the choir. He also had a passion for genealogy and helping other seekers of family history, especially with connections through his early life in Havelock. As part of their own genealogical journey, Gordon and Shirley were pleased to be able to prove that they were descendants of the United Empire Loyalists (UEL) who settled in New Brunswick after 1783. In his retirement years, Gordon enjoyed gardening at the cottage and at home.

Many people will fondly remember Gordon as a kind and gentle man with an incredible eye for design and a good sense of humour. He loved his family and will be greatly missed.

For those who wish, remembrances may be made to Brunswick Street Baptist Church’s Benevolent Fund, or a local food bank.

A visitation will be held at McAdam’s Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and 7:00 to 9:00 pm. A celebration of his life will be held in the J.A. McAdam Memorial Chapel onThursday, May 11th, 2023 at 2:00 pm. For those unable to attend the service, a live stream will be available at the following link: https://vimeo.com/event/3365389 There will be a private interment in Forest Hill Cemetery in Fredericton at a later date.