Linda Thorne, 1943 – 2024, owner of the Thorne & Co gardening store in the Glebe
Photo: Dr. Susan Pepper
In memory of Linda Thorne – Thorne & Co.
By Andrew Burton Anderson
A warm-hearted, thoughtful and fun-loving friend to many and a familiar presence in the Glebe for many years, Linda Thorne died peacefully at Kingston General Hospital on April 16 in her 81st year. She will be gratefully remembered by her many friends, neighbours, former colleagues and all those who were lucky enough to have met her.
Linda was born and raised in Toronto. As a young woman, she travelled to London, England where she lived, worked and found adventure. She returned to Canada to study at York and Carleton universities. After completing her Master of Public Administration in Ottawa, Linda spent a decade in the Department of Public Works with postings to Vancouver and Ottawa.
Many will remember Linda for her three passions: gardening, animals and bringing people together. In 1990, she opened Thorne & Co. – a gardening and gift shop – which quickly became a Bank Street institution and a natural meeting place for gardeners and animal lovers alike. Customers were often greeted at the door by one of Linda’s beloved dogs – first Martha, then Ben – who enjoyed the camaraderie of the shop as much as she did.
Thorne & Co. quickly gained a reputation for having an unparalleled and carefully curated collection of gardening books and decorative items, but it was also known as a community gardening resource due to its knowledgeable and friendly staff. Linda also supported and sold the work of local Glebe artists, with their paintings and sculptures adding colour and beauty to the store. In later years, the store also sold fresh-cut flowers to the delight of neighbourhood residents. Linda was a proud member of the Glebe small business community and a passionate advocate for the neighbourhood.
Working at Thorne & Co. was like being part of a family, with everyone sharing a love of gardening. Linda kept in touch with the Thorne & Co. family until the end of her life, often bringing together co-workers who had become friends and ended up as extended family. She enjoyed recounting various tales from over the years at 802 Bank Street, and Linda would be the first to say that opening her shop in the Glebe was a dream come true.
After retiring from the business in 2005, Linda organized and led memorable garden tours to England, Ireland, Scotland and Italy. Many of the participants in the tours first met Linda as customers of Thorne & Co. In 2016, she sold her house in the Glebe and settled in Kingston where she was happy to meet a new community of interesting, caring friends. As she looked out at her view of the Cataraqui River, her years in the Glebe remained close to her heart.
Naturally community-minded, Linda was a board member of the Canadian Tulip Festival and spent many years as the lay councillor on the board of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. She found great pleasure and fulfilment in both roles, and the organizations benefitted from her collaborative approach, outgoing personality and insightful contributions.
Family, friends, colleagues and customers will remember Linda’s quick wit, sincere interest in their lives and the sparkle in her eye when she laughed – which was often.
Linda was a lifelong animal lover, and she derived immeasurable joy from the many dogs and cats that she cared for over the years. As an expression of sympathy, friends may choose to donate to the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, Manotick, Ontario.
Andrew Burton Anderson is a landscape architect and biocultural heritage advisor originally from Ottawa. He spent many happy summers and holidays working at Thorne & Co. while completing his undergraduate degree in landscape architecture at the University of Guelph.