16837 - Thorpe, Oswald James

Event Date : Monday, November 30, 1953
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Buffalo, N.Y.
Community : Other - Bradford
Street :
Lot :
Concession : 0
Description : The following from a Welland, Ont., paper refers to a native of Bradford, Oswald J. Thorpe, a son of Robert J. Thorpe and Margaret Bell Thorpe, both of whom were born and passed away in West Gwillimbury.A pioneer funeral director and a leader in Ontario curling circles, Oswald James Thorpe, 163 Division
Street, passed away this morning in the Buffalo General Hospital, following a lingering illness.Proprietor of the Sutherland-Thorpe Funeral Home, 152 Hellems Avenue, Mr. Thorpe began his undertaking career in 1899 at Bradford, where he was born. In 1901 he opened a business at Burk's Falls and remained there until 1905. For the next three years he operated a furniture and undertaking business in New Liskeard.Leaving his brothers in charge at New Liskeard in 1908 he opened and operated funeral palours at Haileybury. At the time of the big fire, Oct. 4, 1922, he had charge of the mass funeral at Haileybury, Matheson, New Liskeard and Porcupine, totalling some 307 dead.During the next decade he operated in Hamilton, Grimsby, Kirkland Lake, Cobalt and South Porcupine, still retaining his interests in the Thorpe Bros. establishments in Haileybury and New Liskeard. For a time he was associated with Roy H. Thompson, president of Thompson Newspapers, in a radio broadcasting firm in Kirkland Lake.Mr. Thorpe came to Welland in 1942, giving up all other interests, and took over the business of G. W. Sutherland and Sons, which he conducted under the name of Sutherland-Thorpe Funeral Home.He was a life member of the Haileybury Blue Masonic Lodge, A.F. & A.M., past warden of Holy Trinity Church, honorary president of the Welland Curling Club, which he organized in 1946; member of the Welland Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, Welland Lions Club, which just recently awarded him his fifteen-year perfect attendence pin, and the Welland Club.He is survived by his wife, Helen F. Barrett Thorpe; five sons, Clarence of Duparquet, Quebec; Frank of Niagara Falls, and Edgar, Robert and Cameron of Welland; two daughters, Mrs. James Irving (Thelma) of Hamilton and Mrs. M. Moffatt (Ella) of Bellville. Also surviving are nine grandchildren; two brothers, W. A. Thorpe of Brantford and Ralston Thorpe of Niagara Falls, and two sisters, Mrs. Victor Hunter (Luella) of Toronto, and Mrs. Harold Matthews (Margaret) of Bradford (Fennells). Two sons predeceased him, Pilot Officer Oswald Jr., R.A.F., and William Bird Thorpe.The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Harold Bagnall assisted by Rev. Thomas Dew of Mimico. Interment took place in the Fonthill Cemetery.