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Walter William Thorne Jr.
Walter William Thorne Jr.
Walter William Thorne Jr., formerly of Quiogue and Westhampton Beach, died on July 7 at his home in Lake Worth, Florida. He was 77.
He was born in Newark, New Jersey, on July 24, 1946, and moved with his parents, Walter William Thorne Sr. and Mary Sue Thorne to Quiogue in 1947.
He attended Westhampton Beach School District and graduated from Westhampton Beach High School in 1964. He was a star three sport athlete that furthered his education at Suffolk County Community College and Bryant College, where he played on the baseball teams. He graduated with a degree in business from Bryant College.
After graduating, he returned to Westhampton Beach. He worked at Shotwells Pump on Main Street. Soon after, he bought the bar and renamed it the legendary Magic’s Pub and The Artful Dodger.
He ran the restaurant for 38 years until the doors closed in 2008. This was the end of an era for a lot of people — and certainly the Thorne family. Magic’s and The Dodger were a staple on Westhampton Beach’s Main Street. There are thousands of memories and stories.
He was one of a kind and a little crazy, might we say “Quack Quack”? He had a heart of gold, and would help anyone almost to a fault. He donated money to countless local organizations and charities over the years.
He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing the sport whenever he could at Westhampton Beach Country Club and in Florida. He always attended Westhampton Beach home football games. He was honored to be selected to be the grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1999.
After Magic’s sold, he eventually moved to Palm Beach County, Florida.
He was the oldest of the seven children.
He was predeceased by his parents; his brother John Thorne; and his sister Amy Thorne. He is survived by his other siblings, Carol Thorne, Jimmy Thorne (Roxanne), Larry Thorne and Mary Lou Lemmen (Robert); and several nieces and nephews.
Local services are being planned for late August.
Staff Writer on Jul 29, 2024