William A. Thorne, Jr.

After a long and active life, William A. Thorne, Jr. peacefully passed away on January 15, 2017.  He was born on February 20, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois.  His mother, Irma Sostheim Thorne was the daughter of German Jewish immigrants and his father, William A. Thorne, Sr. emigrated from Canada to the United States.  His father was a union sheet metal worker in Chicago and his mother was a secretary.  On his fifth birthday in 1929, his family moved to Valparaiso, Indiana so that his father could become a Holland Furnace Dealer.  At some point, the business failed as the stock market crashed nine months after the move.   His dad struggled to make a living during the Depression and at times, Bill was the only person in the family bringing in income from his paper and magazine sales efforts.  Bill’s brother Jim R. Thorne, who predeceased him, was 16 years younger.  Moved by Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, Bill was a life-long Democrat.

Bill joined the army in 1942 during his second semester of undergraduate work at Valparaiso University and served in Europe and in Japan until 1946.  After the war, he completed both his undergraduate degree and J.D. at Valparaiso University, graduating in 1949. 

On June 19. 1948, Bill married Elizabeth (Betty) Douglas.  They met shortly after Bill returned from the Army.  After graduating from law school Bill moved to Elkhart in 1949 and began to practice law with Frank Eichelberg. During the first years of their marriage, Betty continued teaching at Valparaiso University while Bill started his practice in Elkhart.  After three years, Bill left Mr. Eichelberg and opened his own office in two rooms on the 5th floor of the Monger Building.  As time went on, Bill took on several partners in a firm that was know as Thorne LeFever & Yoder; later known as Thorne Yoder & Grodnik and now, as Thorne•Grodnik, LLP. 

Over time Bill’s practice grew into one focused primarily on representing clients needing bankruptcy protection.  He was recognized as an expert in the field of corporate re-organizations.  He also participated in major transactions involving the sale or purchase of businesses of his more successful clients.  Throughout the legal community he was viewed as a patient, smart and creative attorney.  Throughout his fifty years of practice he mentored many attorneys both inside and outside his firm and was especially influential in the lives of two of his children who became attorneys.

Bill and Betty relished their partnership and the family they created.  Betty predeceased him in 2004.  They raised four children: Deborah Thorne (Jerry Esrig), Elizabeth Moyer (Rick), Margaret Sleeper (George) and Douglas Thorne (Cindy).  They created a loving home and cottage on Diamond Lake where their eight grandchildren, Carla Devnani (Karan), Cameron Sleeper, Daniel Esrig (Kate Mertz), Rachel Esrig, Megan Noll (Bill), Courtney Iwanicki (Ryan), and Lauren and Kyle Thorne. All these grandchildren spent wonderful summer days there, and as Bill and Betty foresaw, became life-long friends. They will each remember playing golf, swimming and boating on the Lake, playing on the swings, barbequing and watching the Lake sparkle in the moonlight. Bill was fortunate to get to know and hold his two great-granddaughters, Austyn Bates and Emma Iwanicki. In addition to spending time with his family, Bill enjoyed reading, playing golf and bridge and travelling with Betty.

Throughout his life, Bill was very active in many community activities, including those involving fair housing and civil rights. He was active in the Elkhart County Mental Health Association, the Elkhart Adult and Child Guidance Clinic, the United Way campaign, the Indiana State Bar Association, where he served on the Board of Governors from 1987-88 and as the Chair of Bankruptcy Law Section from 1985-86. He also served on the Board of Visitors of the Valparaiso University Law School, the Park Department and the Elkhart Board of Waterworks, the Board of Bashor Home and The Methodist Theological School in Ohio and for several years was the Chair of the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry of the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.  After retiring from the practice of law he was active in SCORE and served as a member of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County.  Governor Joseph E. Kernan named him a Distinguished Hoosier in 2005. For years Bill was very involved in Trinity United Methodist Church where he served as trustee and taught Sunday school for at least forty years.  Bill enjoyed his final years as a much beloved resident of the Hubbard Hill Retirement Community.

Condolences and stories can be left at epassing.org.  If you choose to make a donation in Bill’s name, the family recommends the Elizabeth Douglas Thorne Scholarship Fund through the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Hubbard Hill or Trinity United Methodist Church Foundation. 

            The family will be receiving calls of condolence at the Hartzler-Gutermuth Funeral Home, 403 West Franklin Street, Elkhart from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 19.  Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 20, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 2715 East Jackson Boulevard Elkhart.  Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. Thorne’s care has been entrusted to Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home.

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