With great sadness, the family and friends of John Richard Thorp announce his passing March 13, 2021 at the age of 78. Preceded in death by his parents, Floyd (Ted) and Emma (Jean) he is survived by his wife of 55 years, Nancy, sons, Theodore (Whitney), Richard (Donna), 2 brothers, Wayne and Earl David and 3 granddaughters
John grew up in the shadows of tank and dam construction, living in numerous states, attending 10 different high schools and Kansas University.
Proudly serving his country in the United States Air Force, he was recognized for achievements and was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for his service during the Vietnam War. Completing his military service, he relocated to Houston, TX, where he was employed for a short time by Honeywell, then joined Hewlett-Packard (now Agilent) where he enjoyed a successful career. Always the analytical thinker, he was widely respected in the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer and environmental application fields. He retired as sales manager of Gerstel.
Retirement interests included avid stamp collecting, becoming a Delaware Master Gardner, White Clay Creek Fly Tying, interests in space exploration, and most of all, volunteering at Longwood Gardens. Out of town guests’ visits always included a tour.
A celebration of John’s life will be held at a future date.
The family expresses a special thank you to the caring staff at Christiana Care Hospital, especially those who attended to John’s every need and comfort.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in John’s honor to: Safe Animal Shelter in Middleburg, FL, www.safeanimalshelter.com or K9s for Warriors, www.k9sforwarriors.org. To send condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com.
