The Late Mrs. Thorpe
The death is announced of Mother Mary E. Thorpe, a long time school teacher and widow of former Traffic Judge Napoleon E. Thorpe of the Township of Crozierville, Montserrado County.
This sad event occurred on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:30 a.m. at a hospital in Providence, Road Island, United States of America.
She was 92.
A product of Suehn Industrial Academy, Mrs. Thorpe later entered the University of Liberia, where she took the BSc degree in Education. She joined the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), and taught in many schools in the greater Monrovia area.
Mrs. Thorpe was awarded a fellowship to do advanced training in Education at the San Francisco State College (now University), where she took the Master’s degree in Education and returned home to continue teaching and serving in educational administration. She once served as MCSS Director of Personnel.
After retiring from the MCSS, Mrs. Thorpe joined Monrovia College, under the leadership of Dr. Louise York. Mrs. Thorpe served MC for many years.
Her daughter-in-law, Mother Frances A. Hart, wife of Episcopal Diocesan Bishop Jonathan B.B. Hart, remembers Mrs. Thorpe as “a loving and caring mother of us all, her children, foster children and in-laws. She was very jovial and always made us laugh. She always admonished us to be united and to avoid fussing among ourselves.
“Our mother also urged us to pray always, and for one another.”
According to Bishop Jonathan Hart, son of the deceased, who is currently on an Episcopal visitation to southeastern Liberia, Mrs. Mary Emma Thorpe was born on November 30, 1924 in Monrovia to the union of Montserrado Senator R.F.D. Smallwood of Arthington and Ms. Dora Holt. Dora was the sister of the long time Monrovia businessman Walter Holt of Benson Street, Snapper Hill.
The deceased was joined in holy matrimony to Mr. Napoleon Thorpe of Crozierville in February, 1953. Mr. Thorpe’s Baptist-born bride then became a staunch Episcopalian, and a member of her husband’s church, Christ Episcopal of Crozierville. She served in many church organizations, including the Episcopal Church Women (ECW), the Diocesan Standing Committee, and she attended several sessions of the Diocesan Convention.
Fraternally, Mrs. Thorpe was a member of the Sisters of the Mysterious Ten (SMT) and the Order of Eastern Star, Electra Chapter of Clay Ashland.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later.