Marion "Gene" Thorpe passed peacefully away in his sleep on April 8, 2018. He was born July 13, 1931 to his parents, Ray and Florence Thorpe in Wichita, KS. He graduated from Wichita High School North where he excelled in sports as well as academically. He met his high school sweetheart, Betty Ann Botkin even though she went to rival high school East. They were married December 29, 1951, and when he graduated from Wichita University ROTC in 1953, they began their 21-yr adventure in the Army.
His Army career began at Ft, Leonard Wood, MO and moved on to Schofield Barracks, Oahu, HI; ROTC instructor at Pittsburg State College in KS, Vietnam; Ft Benning, GA; Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, KS; Ft Polk, LA; a MAAG assignment in Ethiopia; and his last tour was at Ft Sam Houston, TX. He was an instructor at the MFSS which is now the Academy of Health Sciences. He also served on the staff of Ft Sam Houston core command, and retired in 1974 with the rank of Lt Colonel. Along the way they added two sons and two daughters to the family.
He was active in Boy Scouts, Cole High School PTA and years of attending the boys' football, basketball and baseball games as well as swimming meets, Girl Scout projects and dance recitals for their own children as well as grandchildren. He was also a 50-yr Life Member of the Masonic Lodge and member of the Scottish Rites.
He was an avid woodworker and built all of the wooden furniture in their entire house as well as remodeling the kitchen and installing cabinets and tile, enclosing the patio into a sunroom and building a separate wood working shop in the backyard.
He will always be loved and sorely missed by his children, Richard, Thomas, Kellee, Susan and son-in-law Jay Mclaughlin. He is survived by a brother and his wife, Charles and Renate Thorpe, sister Margaret Devins and sister-in-law Sandra and husband Bob Manning, numerous nieces and nephews, and grandchildren Brianna, Chrissy, Nick, Sarah, Ben and Joe.
And above all he will be loved forever by his wife of of over 66 years, Betty Ann Thorpe.
A visitation will be held on Friday, April 13, 2018 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Colonial Funeral Home, 625 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City, TX. A Funeral Service will be held at Colonial Funeral Home on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 1:30 p.m.
Memorial may be made to the Wounded Warriors or the charity of your choice.
