Posted to the Dave Thorne Get Well Page (Facebook login required) a few hours ago by son Randy Thorne:
Our Dearest friends and family: Our father, uncle, friend, mentor, teacher, husband, and bringer of aloha to everyone he met, passed over last night at about 12:30 am Hawaiian time. He suffered from a major stroke Friday which his body and most importantly his brain unfortunately could not recover from. He was surrounded with friends and family when the difficult decision was made to discontinue life support. He transitioned peacefully and without any duress. It is now up to everyone he has impacted to continue his legacy of Aloha. He will live on in all of us!
Mahalo Nui Loa for all of your prayers and best wishes. His “Celebration of Life” arrangements are pending. Love and Aloha, Randy
Those of you who read the Star-Advertiser knew Dave as the cartoonist and creative mastermind behind the Sunday comic strip “Thorney’s Zoo.” Here’s the archive through what would turn out to be his final “Thorney’s Zoo” strip, Oct. 30, 2011: http://www.staradvertiser.com/features/sundaycomics/thorneyszoo/ It’s a big loss for the cartooning community, both locally and globally, to be sure.
I’ll have more thoughts and a tribute when I’m able to write them up, hopefully later this week.
Otaku Ohana 
Could you get someone to fix that typo in the breaking news about Dave? I’m sure he taught classes not caught them. 😉
Getting it fixed now, thanks!
My Deepest Sympathies to Dave Thorne’s Family and Friends,
I am so sorry to hear of Dave’s passing. He was true, genuine person and I am glad I had the chance to know him.
I was a student of Dave’s in one of his classes he taught thru UH Continuing Ed. in the mid-90’s. He was not only a terrific teacher but such a kind and positive soul. We soon became friends. He implored me to strive to not only become a better artist but to continue to become a better person.
Because of his advice and encouragement, I decided to leave Hawaii and seek my dreams and for that I will be eternally be grateful. Although over the years we slowly lost contact with one another, I was happy to re-establish corresponding with him within the last two years. I wanted so much to share with him what I had accomplished and let him know how much he had a part in it. He will always be a part of wherever my path leads to and I will never forget him. Mahalo and A Hui Ho Dave…
Dear Lorraine and the Dave Thorne family:
It was with great sadness I learned of Dave’s passing. He was a great friend and one of the brightest and generous spirits I have ever met. He was full of Aloha and drove in the spirit of Aloha. He loved people and had an amazing circle of friends and acquaintances. He doodled and gathered images for the future. He would draw your image on request wherever he was. He loved punning and had an endless store of jokes. He was an expert at signing and could communicate with everyone. He was an open spirit and mind. He was an exemplary Buddhist spirit. It was a privilege to know him and share times with him. He has gone on to a new adventure and will make new friends and meet old ones. Here, he will be missed but long in memory. We hope that the family will take strength from knowing what an important role he played in our lives. We do not have the words to compensate for their great loss, but just want to express our deepest condolences.
Namu Amida Butsu, Gassho
Al Bloom