Mrs. Doris Theresa Epstein Thorpe

Doris was born in 1937 in Lynn Massachusetts and grew up in Dorchester, just outside of Boston. She spent much of her childhood in New York City. Later in life, she brought her children to New York City often. She was very independent as a young adult and ventured out on her own at a young age, developing a career in the medical field. She moved back to Lynn, where she married and raised three children; Russell, Wendy and Tracie. She loved the piano and music was her passion. She was the president of the band boosters for Lynn English High School, where all her children attended, and where her youngest daughter Tracie was involved in music and in the high school band. She loved the Boston Pops and went to see them as often as her busy live would permit. She was involved as a Girl Scout leader and in the local church. She worked fulltime as an office manager in the medical field. She was a career woman dedicated to her children. Doris was the "mom" to everyone she met that needed a mom, to the friends of her children, to many people she encountered; young and old. She was like that when she was younger and every day until she passed. There was never a dull moment or quiet time in her home, there were always many people coming and going. Her generous and open heart attracted everyone. Her sense of humor was so amazing and brought joy to everyone. Doris always loved to travel and did so extensively in her life. Starting out with adventurous camping trips with her children, often in Montreal, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Hampshire and Maine. The big adventure came in 1986, when she moved to San Diego by way of cross country camping with her daughter Wendy. What a blast she had. After many beautiful and happy years in San Diego, the travel bug hit again and she traveled with her daughter Wendy north to Bakersfield, where, although it was way too hot for her liking, she met many dear friends and became very active in the senior citizen community there and loved the time she spent there, involved in many groups, like sewing, quilting and bridge clubs. It was there she developed her passion for roses which became a big part of her life, she was a true gardener. She would spend all day tending to her roses. Her life was devastated, when in 2006, her son Russell passed away in Bakersfield after battling chronic illness. Again, it was time to move on; a new adventure was on the horizon again. This time, again with Wendy, she traveled north to Eureka. This time it was different, when Doris came to Eureka, she felt like she was home at last. Everything about Eureka she loved. She thought the weather was the greatest. She lived in the home of her dreams and created a spectacular garden here which she spent most of her time on. Although she was beginning to have health problems while in Eureka, her travel dream became a reality when she went with her two daughters to France for a few weeks and went everywhere from Paris to Normandy to the south of France to Nice and Monaco. This was her most treasured adventure. Just to keep things a little lively, the "three girls" (that would be Mom, Tracie & Wendy) ventured off to Miami for Christmas and went on a Caribbean cruise to Central America (Belize, Roatan, Grand Cayman and Cozumel). Again, too hot for her liking, but certainly high on the adventure scale. Doris was fun, full of laughter, full of love for everyone and dedicated her life to her children. There was nothing in her life she did that wasn't done for the benefit of her children. And then there were the dogs in her life. She loved dogs and they loved her. She had six when she left us and they will miss her dearly, especially "Nurse William" who sat vigil on her bed for the last five weeks of her life. She experienced many health issues in Eureka and always would say that if she hadn't come to Eureka, she wouldn't be alive. She experienced the greatest doctors here, so wonderful, compassionate and well, just smart as anything. She felt truly blessed to be here and to have the amazing opportunity to have these providers. Her family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Michael Palmer, MD, who saved her life more than once. Doris thought the world of him and knew she was alive because of him, she looked forward to every appointment she had with him; and Rhonda in his office, who always helped us out on many occasions. To Dr. Beth Abels, who cared for her so well and compassionately for the five years she lived in Eureka. Doris felt cared for and safe in her hands. And Karen in her office, who we always called whenever anything was up, she got it done fixed or processed, Doris called her an angel. Doris also had two other doctors who relieved much of the pain she experienced in the last five years, Dr. Kilgore, who replaced her hip and took away the pain she had experienced for 12 years, and our most heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Varv, in the pain clinic, who made her last four weeks pain free. She was a "frequent flyer" at St Joseph Hospital, where the nurses there cared for her as if she was their mother. They are nothing short of amazing. We are proud to know them. The very sad diagnosis of cancer came just five weeks before Doris passed away on Tuesday, October 29, 2010 in the ICU at St Joseph Hospital. She was surrounded by loved ones, her daughters (Wendy and Tracie), Phil Beaudry (who was like a son to her), the sisters (Marie and Joann), the chaplain (David), the nurses in the ICU and Dr. Fratkin; who guided both her and her daughters through this most painful and personal process. Doris was preceded in death by her son Russell Thorpe. Doris leaves her daughters Wendy and Tracie Thorpe of Eureka and Susan Houghton of Alton Bay, New Hampshire and a grandson, Gary Thorpe of Hampden, Mass. She also leaves cherished friends Phil Beaudry, Charlie Lay, Mary Sanford, Yanggui Song, Keith Sperry, Debbie Harwood, Raeleen Olsen; all of who brought great richness to her life, especially in the last several weeks. We will always cherish the memories she had with you. And most of all, she has immeasurably shaped and changed the lives of Wendy and Tracie who can only strive to live in such a way to honor the greatest mother and best friend in the world. Services will be held on Saturday, November 6th at 1:00 pm at Pierce Mortuary at 707 H Street in Eureka (442-3751). Doris's wish in lieu of flowers is to please donate to the St Joseph Hospital Foundation for the new hospital tower in her honor and memory. She did so herself many times. Mail To: St Joseph Hospital Foundation 2700 Dolbeer Street Eureka, CA 95501 Check Info: Payable to: St Joseph Hospital Foundation Memo area: In Memory of Doris Thorpe Care is under the direction of Pierce Mortuary Chapel, Eureka, CA 707-442-3751, www.piercemortuarychapels.com.

Published in Eureka Times-Standard on October 31, 2010