Robert “Bob” Thorne of East Moriches and Speonk died on December 7, 2016. He was 74.
Mr. Thorne was born October 1, 1942, in Brooklyn, to Delacy and Marie Throne. He graduated from Erasmus Hall High School, and went on to study at Case Western Reserve University.
He moved to Germany in the late 1960s, where he was a self-taught leather craftsman. He returned to the United States in 1977.
Mr. Thorne was the co-owner of Wooden Environments, later known as Playground Environments, a design and manufacturing firm of commercial playgrounds, based in Speonk for more than 20 years. The company was the primary supplier of playgrounds in New York City, Boston, and Baltimore, and eventually installed playgrounds around the country. His love for the business continued after the business closed. He continued to work as an independent design consultant for various parks departments and small companies manufacturing custom playgrounds and interactive play components.
He was also an avid photographer, enjoyed practicing yoga and meditation, and attending performances at the Joyce Theatre and Brooklyn Academy of Music.
He is survived by a daughter, Zoe Thorne of Berlin, Germany; two brothers, Richard Thorne and wife Lesley Gray-Thorne of New York City and Speonk, and Ramon D. Thorne and wife Peggy Thorne of Speonk; nephew Eric Thorne; and nieces, Elektra Gray and Alyssa Thorne; and two previous wives. He was predeceased by his first wife; his parents; his step-father Charles Thompson; and a son, Ramon Thorne.
A memorial service will be held at Follett & Werner Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach on Saturday, December 17, at 1 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, heart.org, or a charity of choice.
on Dec 12, 2016