George Franklin Thorne, Jr., died January 16, 2011 at his residence. He would have turned 83 on January 23. Born in Fort Foote, MD, he was the son of the late George and Mary Thorne.

He was a graduate of Oxon Hill High School and served in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1947. He attended the University of Maryland at College Park for his undergraduate work, and received a Master's degree from North Carolina State University with a concentration in Plant Breeding and Mathematics/Statistics.

Mr. Thorne taught mathematics at Leonardtown High School and Chopticon High School in St. Mary's County. He also taught university courses at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station for many of our local engineers. He then served as a Supervisor of Instruction in mathematics for St. Mary's County before retiring in 1992.

Mr. Thorne's hobbies included gardening and wood-working, and he spent many hours walking as well as working in his woods and about the home. He loved to learn, and was a voracious reader of everything from his daily newspaper to history books and classic literature. He especially enjoyed a good cup of coffee, had an insatiable sweet tooth, and relaxed by listening to music or by working crossword puzzles with his wife.

Mr. Thorne is predeceased by his beloved wife, Mae Rosaline (Gibson) Thorne.

He is survived by his children, George Franklin Thorne III of Leonardtown, MD; Thomas Lawrence Thorne (Holly Clark) of Salt Lake City, UT; and Rose Elaine Thorne (Ned Keegan) of Arlington, VA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Cassidy Rose Clark and Milo Thomas Thorne. Other survivors include his siblings Margaret Gates, Dorothy Roland, Robert Thorne and wife Ruth, and Wilma Tinsley.

He is predeceased by sisters Zelda Johnson and Elsie Thorne.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 29, 2011, from 10 - 11 a.m. at Brinsfield Funeral Home in Leonardtown, MD, with a Memorial Service at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Our Lady's Church Cemetery at Medley's Neck.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of St. Mary's, PO Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650; or Our Lady's Church at Medley's Neck, 41348 Medley's Neck Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650-4115.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.