Thorpe, Rupert R. 1917-2001

THORPE, COOK, HENRICH

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/8/2009 at 20:24:40

SALIX, Iowa -- Rupert R. "Nig" Thorpe, 84, of Salix died Monday, Dec. 10, 2001, at his residence following a lengthy illness with cancer.

Services will be 2:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix, with the Rev. Donald J. Slaven officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be 6 to 9 p.m. today, with the family present 7 to 9 p.m. and a Scripture service at 8 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa, Iowa.

Rupert was born May 16, 1917, in Moville, Iowa, the son of Charles and Eula May (Cook) Thorpe. He graduated from Moville High School in 1936.

He married Dorothy Henrich on Dec. 3, 1941, in Le Mars, Iowa. They made their home in California until 1942. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in April 1943, and served in the European Theater during World War II. After his discharge in December 1945, the couple moved to Salix. Rupert and Dorothy operated Thorpe's Grocery Store for 35 years. He worked at the ASCS office from 1963 to 1967, and served as post master of the Salix Post Office until 1984.

He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and American Legion George Nelson Post 662. He was fire chief for 35 years on the Salix Fire Department, was a founding member of Tristate Rescue Association and served as a former president of the Iowa Branch of National League of Post Masters.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; four daughters, Carol Ann Thorpe of Reno, Nev., Beverly Thorpe of Salix, Roxann Thorpe of Oak Creek, Wis., and Pam and her husband, Ernie Lavagetto of Walnut Creek, Calif.; two sons and their wives, Charles and Sandy Thorpe of Sloan, Iowa, and Marc and Vivian Thorpe of Alameda, Calif.; five grandchildren, Scott and his wife, Tamie Clayton of Sioux City, Dawn and her husband, Josh Miller of Phoenix, Ariz., Stephanie Thorpe of Iowa City, Iowa, and Haley and Brock Thorpe, both of Sloan; two great-grandchildren, Austin Clayton and Aynslie Miller; two sisters, Alice Donnell of Rembrandt, Iowa, and Erma Jean Forsythe of Brighton, Colo.; a brother, Willard "Stymie" Thorp of Camden, Ark.; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Theo, Walter, William and Donald; and a sister, Rachel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospice of Siouxland or Siouxland Regional Cancer Center.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, Dec. 12, 2001