Jonathan W. Thorn

Jonathan W. Thorn

Jonathan W. Thorn, 32, of Napa Valley, CA, and Lancaster, PA, died in an early-morning collision on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, in Napa County. He was killed by a driver who crossed over the double yellow line and struck Jonathan's car head on. Both drivers were killed in the crash.
Jonathan was born in Lancaster, PA, and was the son of John
Templeton and Amy Louise (Zacharias) Thorn.
Jonathan graduated from Lancaster Mennonite High School in 2005.
He attended Shippensburg University where he was a BS major in Supply Chain Management. After college Jonathan utilized his supply-chain knowledge to help his parents' global supply chain business DBM. He started helping with the family business at 13 when he traveled with his parents to various locations as they hosted educational trade shows and conferences benefiting the supply chain industry.
He remained actively involved with DBM but took on a new role after college when he moved in 2010 to California to help his parents establish Thorn Hill Vineyards. During his time in California he assisted with vineyard development, building the Thorn Hill wine ranch, which houses the Lake County Tasting Room and luxury guest villa suites. During the building process he learned the craft of masonry and helped build the stone walls, pump house and gate at the ranch. He buried a bottle of the family's first wine vintages in the foundation of their building.
Jonathan assisted his mother winemaker Amy Thorn with bottling operations and the logistics of their family-owned wine business. In addition to his hard work at the family business he drove for Uber at night. He used part of his earnings to help many families in the area facing hardships in Lake County after fires and other challenges.
Jonathan loved running and was on the cross country team at Lancaster Mennonite High School. After college he went on to coach the Kelseyville High School Cross Country team when he moved to California.
An avid traveler, Jonathan visited many countries in Central America and Europe, including Scandinavia, the British Isles, western, central, and southeast Europe and most recently Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Moldova, where he cultivated deep friendships with people from a variety of cultures and religions. He represented the best qualities of an American abroad.
He had an avid interest in real estate and purchased three lots in Lake County and planned to start building rental properties in 2020.
He was a religious person, baptized, confirmed and a member of First Presbyterian in Lancaster. Jonathan attended First Presbyterian Kelseyville during his time in California. Jonathan was awarded the highest degree of Master Mason in 2018 with the Lake County Masonic Lodge in California. He had a deep interest in the Brotherhood and was a leader at the Lodge.
Serving as General Manager for his family's business, Thorn Hill Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA, he was passionate about growing high-quality grapes for their wines and providing their customers with a memorable experience and taste. He acted as a welcoming host to visitors at Thorn Hill Vineyards in California.
Jonathan believed it was important to be active in his community and assist to make it a better place. He supported numerous community events and donated to the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College to raise scholarship funds for theatre students. Shakespeare was his favorite author. Jonathan was also passionate about beach handball and worked with the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee to help develop a Beach Oasis at Westside Community Park. He also assisted in any way he could during the numerous fires including providing housing for the Cal fire helicopter pilots at the ranch during the 2017 fires.
Jonathan made Lake County his home, where he embraced the lifestyle, from adventuring in the outdoors, to supporting local businesses, to promoting the region when he was on his travels. He was a true ambassador of Lake County.
Surviving in addition to his parents is a sister Rachael Lauren Thorn, of Lancaster; a maternal grandmother, Eloise Zacharias, of Lancaster; an aunt, Susan Schwartz, an uncle Peter Zacharias, both of Lancaster; and an uncle, James Thorn, of Coatesville. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Dorothy Ivy and John Templeton Thorn.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, December 7, at 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 140 E. Orange St., Lancaster, PA, with Pastors Dan Snyder and Bob Larson officiating. The family will receive friends at the Charles F. Snyder, Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, 3110 Lititz Pk., Lititz, PA 17543 on Friday, December 6 from 4-7 p.m. followed by Masonic Funeral Rites at 7 p.m. The family will also be receiving friends at the church one hour prior to the service on December 7.
The interment will be on Sunday, December 8, at his mother's ancestral cemetery in Madley, PA, which was founded in 1776 by Jonathan's ancestor Ludwick Lybarger on his mother's side who settled the area in 1736. Jonathan will be laid to rest next to his great-grandparents, Anna and Everett Kight, his mother's grandparents. There will be a Memorial Service at Christ Lutheran Church of Madley, 7139 Hyndman Rd., Buffalo Mills, PA 15534, which was founded by Jonathan's ancestors, the Lybargers, officiated by Pastor Ryan at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 8, 2019. Jonathan is a direct descendant of William Henry Thorn 1635 of Massachusetts on his father's side.
There will be a Memorial Service in California at the Lake County Masonic Lodge on Sunday,
December 15 at 2 p.m. followed by a reception. Memorial contributions may be sent in Jonathan's memory to Hartley Masonic Lodge #199, 375 North Main Street (PO BOX 266) Lakeport, CA 95453
Please visit Jonathan's obituary page at SnyderFuneralHome.com
Arrangements by Charles F. Snyder, Jr., Funeral Home & Crematory, 717.560.5100