Thorpe served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1940 to 1945.
He was aboard the USS Honolulu at Pearl Harbor during the attack. He was a longtime employee of J.P. Stevens followed by a career in real estate and insurance.
He died October 20 at the age of 86. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Messer Thorpe; and a son, James L. Thorpe. He is survived by a son, William Stuart Thorpe Jr. and his wife, Sally, of Roanoke Rapids; a half-brother, Dr. Frank Bowers, of Arkansas; four grandchildren, Daniel Stuart Thorpe, of Halifax, Lynn Thorpe Killgore, of Bozeman, Mont., and William Stuart Thorpe III and Brian L. Thorpe, both of Gaston; five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
The ceremony will be held at the center court of the Becker Village Mall. The public is invited to attend.
The following is a condensed schedule of events for December 7:
10 a.m. — Honor Ceremony for the late Bill Thorpe
11 a.m. —Recognition and honors for all Pearl Harbor Survivors followed by a social get-together at the Mall and Veterans’ Museum.
Noon— all DJVM members are invited to the annual membership meeting and election of members to the Board of Directors for the Dallas Jones Veterans’ Museum for Calendar Year 2011.
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