Russell Thorpe

July 24, 1934 ~ July 3, 2010

Russell “T” Thorpe, AKA: Russ or Ted, age 75, died July 3, 2010 in St. George, Utah. He was born in the basement apartment of his paternal grandparents’ home in Springville, Utah, on the 24th of July1934 to Russell Albert and Bessie “Jo” Gordon Thorpe. He liked to tell people that every year the State of Utah celebrated his birthday. When he was two years old, his parents moved to Southern California where he grew up and lived most of his life until returning to Utah in 2004. When he was 16, he met Alta Lee Griffin at a church dance. They were married in Long Beach, California on November 11, 1953; he was 19 and she was 16. She was, without question, the love of his life. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In March of 1953, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. After nine years of military service, all in the Military Police, he decided he would not re-enlist in the Air Force; he and his family returned to Southern California. He soon began night school working toward a college degree, a goal that would consume much of his life for the next ten years. He graduated from California Polytechnic University, Pomona, California in June 1973, just days before the birth of his eighth child.

His life-long dream was to work in law enforcement. In 1967, he was hired by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs’ Department and entered training in Class 116. In 1981, after injuring his back on duty he was medically retired and began work in gang suppression in local high schools.

In 1999, he retired and the next day began another dream of traveling the country with his sweetheart, Alta.

In 2004, St. George became his home and he began serving in the Baptistery of the St. George Temple four days a week. He looked forward to his time in the temple, and his service to the Lord. He was devoted to the Lord, to his family and to his country. A man of few words, he said little and loved much.

He is survived by his wife, Alta, his children Steven Lee Thorpe, Debra Ann Thorpe, Russell “T” Thorpe, Jr., Kathryn Michelle (Nelson) Sanchez, Mary Elizabeth (Jerry) Barnes, Barbara Allison (Paul) Dyke, Susan Charlene (Jerry) Dalebout and Jennifer Therese (Tony) Kuhlmann, 36 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and his only sibling, Deanna (Ralph) Georgi.

He is preceded in death by his parents, three grandsons and son-in-law Carlos G. Hernandez.

Funeral Services will be held Wednesday July 7, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Green Valley 3 ^rd Ward Chapel, 1282 W. 500 S. Circle (Indian Hills Drive). A Viewing will be held Wednesday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. prior to services at the church.

Interment will be in the Tonaquint Cemetery.