Eileen Marie (Adell) Thorpe

She went to North Park Junior College and then University of Michigan for her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. At North Park College, she met Roger Thorpe and they were married in 1953 and then answered the call to be missionaries in the country known now as the Democratic Republic of Congo. They served there from 1966- 1996.

Eileen served as a music teacher, band director, station hostess, and short-term missionary coordinator. She loved music and is most known for sharing this with many school kids and adults throughout these years. She was an example of hospitality, generosity, ingenuity, and creating beauty (and delicious food) from very little.

She moved back to Chicago in 1997 and worked in the headquarters of the Department of World Mission for about 10 years before fully retiring.

She is survived by her children Chuck (Leslie), Doug (Mary), Christine Olfelt (Joel) and Laurie, as well as 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 2:00 pm, at North Park Covenant Church, 5250 N. Christiana Ave, Chicago IL 60625.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to North Park Covenant Church or to the Paul Carlson Partnership serving medical missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.