Event Date : Thursday, March 06, 1952
Event Type : Death

Description : A lifelong resident of West Gwillimbury and Bradford, with the exception of the past several months which were spent in a Toronto nursing home, Mrs. Richard Thorpe passed away last Thursday, March 6. A fall at her home in Bradford about seventeen months ago, when she broke her leg, left her an invalid and recently she had suffered several slight strokes. Born on
Concession 11, West Gwillimbury, in March 1865, Annie Kellaway Kneeshaw resided in the township until moving to Bradford over twenty years ago. In 1886, she married Richard Mark Thorpe, also of West Gwillimbury. During her earlier life she attended Ebenezer church, but later, when Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe moved to Concession 9, to the now Sawdon farm, they attended the Mount Pleasant church until it closed, and then they came to Bradford Methodist, later United. Over twenty years ago Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe retired from farming and took up residence in Bradford, where they endeared themselves to neighbours and townspeople by their kindly friendliness. They loved flowers and gardening and their lawn and flower beds were always beautifully tended.Mr. Thorpe died in August 1948, and while Mrs. Thorpe kept her home her following his death, she spent the first winter in Toronto, then returned to reside for over a year before her accident. A devout churchwoman, Mrs. Thorpe was active in her church until failing health prevented. In the W.M.S. she was a life member, an honour conferred upon her by the Society. Surviving are two sons, Emerson of Woodville, and Roy of Toronto; two sisters, Miss Elizabeth Kneeshaw of Toronto and Mrs. Robt. Sawyer (Rhoda) of Carnduff, Sask.; five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. The funeral was held from the United Church on Saturday afternoon, with services conducted by her minister, Rev. F.G. MacTavish. Interment in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The pallbearers were three grandsons, Elmer Thorpe and Kenneth Thorpe of Toronto, and Orin Thorpe of Woodville; two grandsons-in-law, Robert Riddell of King and Lorne Clement of Toronto; and a grand-nephew and neighbour, Gordon Bateman of Bradford.