Charles "Dennis" Thorne

 

Charles “Dennis” Thorne, age 88, passed away peacefully on September 8, 2023 at home after a long illness. He was born December 16, 1934, as the eldest child to Charles and Mary Lou (Withrow) Thorne, both of whom preceded him in death.

Growing up, he worked alongside his younger brother, “Johnny”, to assist his parents at their family grocery stores, especially the Thorne Grocery and Feed at 16th and N. MacArthur, Oklahoma City.

He attended school in the Putnam City school system, graduating from Putnam City High school in 1953. After high school, he attended Carver Chiropractic College, graduating in June of 1956. He served as a member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, receiving an honorable discharge in October of 1956.

He began his employment at the US Postal service in 1958; he worked in many areas including desk/window clerk, letter carrier, Route Examiner, and Superintendent of Postal Operations in Bethany, OK. After retiring in 1989, he worked part-time at the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City processing their mail. Other part-time employment work included the local newspaper, his favorite pizza parlor, the brickyard, and as a produce distributor.

He volunteered at Baptist Medical Center for seven years, assisting others as he could. His hobbies focused mostly on his God-given talent of singing. He participated in leading congregational worship music and singing in a gospel quartet, The Gospel Messengers and church choirs. He particularly enjoyed singing barbershop music with the OK Corral Chorus and the Silver Foxes barbershop quartet. He also enjoyed square dancing and used his singing talents to do square dance calling for several groups.

His siblings are brother, Billy John “Johnny” Thorne, who preceded him in death in 2018; and brother Thomas D. Thorne; and sister, Valinda C. Rodriquez.

He is survived by his wife, Charlene Thorne, and sister-in-law, Su (McCluggage) Thorne, wife of “Johnny”. He is also survived by his children from his first marriage, son, Richard Thorne; daughter, Phyllis Thorne; and stepdaughters, Karen Corbett, Carol Drake, and stepson, John “Chris” Corbett, deceased.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.