Thomas Calvin Thorpe

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Thomas Calvin Thorpe, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, farmer, engineer, sea man, business owner, Eagle Scout, missionary and friend, died in his home Friday morning, October 29, 2010. He was born December 2, 1921 on the family ranch in Pleasant View Idaho. As he grew up Calvin worked on the ranch, took care of the sheep, and enjoyed his pony while riding the hills. Throughout the years he never really left the ranch. He always had lots of potatoes in his garden, and loved his big red farm truck and tractor. He participated in scouting and loved to tell of a trip to Yellowstone where their model T returned the scouts home on three pistons. He was also able to travel by bus to Grand Junction, Colorado for a band competition while attending Malad High School.

After graduating from Malad High in 1940, he joined the Navy and served as a radioman on the U.S.S. Idaho, U.S.S. Chicago, and U.S.S. Vicksburg during World War II. When he returned home he was able to use the GI Bill to attend Utah State University in Logan, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah August 31, 1951. Following graduation he worked as an electrical engineer for Lockheed, General Dynamics, and Hill Air Force Base. During this time he also worked in real estate and owned and managed several properties that provided work and extra opportunities for his family. After retiring they served a LDS mission to the New York, Rochester Mission.

Dad loved to tell of meeting our mother, Vonda Alice Jensen, at an institute class at the University of Utah. He married her on June 20, 1950 in the Salt Lake Temple, and he thought it was amazing that a Welsh boy could end up marrying a "little Danish girl". Their home has always been a haven and a place to welcome friends wherever they have lived: Seattle, Washington; Chino, California; Brigham City, Utah; Rochester, New York; Kaysville, Utah; and finally North Salt Lake, Utah.

As Dad and Mom raised their family he expected kids to work in the family business, but also encouraged and supported our participation in most activities we wished. We were encouraged to attend college, which he was able to pay for, even with five of us at the same time. Although he never bought a new car, wore his clothes out before replacing them, and worked long hours, he and my mother created a comfortable, safe home in which we were privileged to grow up.

Dad is survived by his sweetheart of sixty years, Vonda Alice Jensen. They were blessed with six wonderful children, Sandra Keeler (James), Tracy Thorpe, Thad Thorpe (Carol), Kirk Thorpe (Andrea), Lois Payne (Dell), and Camille Cloyd (Jim); fifteen beautiful, handsome and talented grandchildren, Jason Reese, Rebecca Reese Telford (Mark), Jeffrey Reese, Joshua Keeler, Stacey Thorpe Gividen (Trent), Sierra Payne Deruelle (Nathanael), Joseph Keeler, Roger Thorpe (Chelsea), Thomas Jack Thorpe, Jordan Thorpe, Krystal Furse (Seth), Austin Payne, Jeremy Thorpe, Nikki Thorpe, and Madison Payne; three happy sweet, beautiful great-granddaughters, Isabel, Madeline, and Anna Telford; a brand new great-grandson, Caige Deurelle and one on the way. A daughter and two grandsons, Jeffrey Reese and Jack Thorpe have preceded him in death. He is also survived by his older brother Eugene Thorpe of Layton and younger sisters Lovina Thorpe of Sylmar, California and Ione Latour of Malad Idaho.

Funeral services will be held 1 pm Wednesday November 3, 2010 at the Orchard 8th Ward Chapel, 55 E. 350 N., North Salt Lake, Utah. A visitation will be held Tuesday November 2 from 6-8 pm at Lindquist''s Bountiful Mortuary 727 N. 400 E. and Wednesday 11:30 am-12:30 pm at the church prior to the services. Interment Brigham City Cemetery 325 S. 3rd E. Sincere thanks to Ellen and other very tender, caring aids, nurses, doctors and friends who have helped and supported our family the last few months.