It is with sadness the family announces the death of Elsie Thorpe on June 7, 2025, at the Grace Hospital. She was born February 17, 1929, and raised on a farm near Binscarth, Manitoba, the third child of four to John and Levenia (Honey) MacKay and always kept an interest in the families and neighbours of her youth, particularly the Allertons.
She loved the prairie landscape and the world of nature, especially the early summer and the blooming lady slippers.
She was an avid learner and at an early age loved to go to Clifford School. In Foxwarren, she attended high school and boarded with the Thorpe family, beginning a close and life long relationship with their extended family.
Music and singing were a deep interest her whole life. She learned to chord on the piano as a little girl and while in high school, she was part of an orchestra that played around the Foxwarren area, called Three Hits and a Miss, she being the Miss.
In 1949, she married Calvin Thorpe, and as a young banker’s wife, made a comfortable home life in the communities of Virden, Gilbert Plains, Killarney, Fort Frances, Ont., and Winnipeg. In Fort Frances, the Tibbetts and Shelfantook families introduced us to life at the cabin and going “Up the Lake” became a very wonderful time and shaped our lives. Our cabin on Hopkins Bay was always a place of peace and rejuvenation for her.
Elsie had a passion for education and when Calvin was transferred to Winnipeg in the 70’s, she attended University of Manitoba, earning her Master of Science in the Department of Family Studies, an area of work that was very much an extension of her nature.
She and Calvin shared an adventurous and curious attitude toward the world and enjoyed many years of travel. Many trips involved golf as “The Foursome,” with Elaine and Donald Low. The trip to the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, was especially close to her heart, as her father, as a young man, had sailed to Canada from the harbour at Stornaway.
She is survived by her four children Neil (Debbie) Thorpe, Linda (Lyle) Drees, Ellen (Donald) Graham, and John Thorpe; six grandchildren Wade (Jody) Thorpe, Andrew Thorpe, Donna (Grant) Hunter, Jennifer Thorpe (Greg Margison), Katherine (Conan) Trimble, William (Megan) Byman; and sixteen great-grandchildren; sisters and brothers-in-law Elaine Low, Murray (Carol) Thorpe, Donald (Jean) Thorpe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Calvin; parents John and Levenia MacKay; mother and father-in-law Alvin and Bella Thorpe; brother Donald MacKay and his wife Helen; sisters Beatrice MacKay, and Isabelle McDonald and her husband George; nephews Glen MacKay and Ross Low; and nieces Susan McDonald and Marjorie Soltys; and great-nephew Sheldon Soltys.
Cremation has taken place and burial will be at Fort Frances, at a later date.
Flowers gratefully declined and donations if desired to a charity of one’s choice.
Doyle’s Funeral Home, Carman, Man., in care of arrangements. www.doylesfuneralhome.ca
