Andrea Thorpe, a former teacher in the Fort Lupton school system, died Jan. 11 at the age of 76.
She was born July 17, 1946, in Duluth, Minnesota. Her family eventually settled in Des Moines, Iowa. Her father was a major in the Air Force, and her mother owned a stationery shop. Andrea Thorpe was one of the helpers in the store.
While in college, she was a foreign exchange student in Argentina and learned to speak Spanish. She graduated from a teaching degree with an emphasis in Spanish in English.
Her first teaching job was in Gresham, Nebraska, in 1968, where she was a Spanish teacher. She also met her future husband, Jack Thorpe, an English teacher and basketball coach. They married in December 1969.
Their next stop was Stromsburg, Neb., where they taught for two years. Then it was off to Wymore, Neb., for three more years. Mrs. Thorpe’s obituary at www.taborfuneralhome.com says, “This is where Andi first fell in love with exposing students to culture and the outside world when she and Jack took 20 students from a small farm town in Nebraska throughout Mexico and ended the trip in Acapulco.”
The Thorpes came to Denver in 1974. She took the first Anglo-Spanish teacher position in the Fort Lupton school system. A year later, her husband took a job as an eighth-grade English teacher.
Aside from teaching, she was the yearbook advisor for most of her time at Fort Lupton High School and a student council advisor.
“Andi created friendships and connections that lasted for years and generations. She taught multiple generations of families, watching students grow from teenagers to parents and, in some cases, grandparents,” the obituary read.
She retired after 31 years to spend time fishing, sewing, knitting and being with her family, especially her grandchildren.
“She will be remembered by many as a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, mentor, and great friend,” the obituary read. “Her hugs were there to always comfort you in a time of need; she would always have an ear to listen to anything you needed and advice that would touch your soul. She will be remembered by many as a calming light in the storm to help guide those who needed her. She will be profoundly missed by all.”
Survivors include her husband; her son, Dan (Laura) Thorpe; her daughter, NeSesana (John) Flores; her son-in-law, Greg Flores; grandchildren Landon, Kinsley, Odi, Devina, Spencer, Hayden and Tanner’s brother-in-law Bobb (Anne) Thorpe; their sons, Brook and James Thorpe; and her sister-in-law Dee (Larry) Frost and their son, David (Tiffany) Thorpe.
Her mother, Norma June Anderson, her father, Herbert Anderson, and her brother, Kirk Anderson, predeceased her.
A celebration of life will begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Fort Lupton High School, 530 Reynolds St. A reception follows. In lieu of flowers, make donations to a scholarship fund in both Jack and Andi Thorpe’s names at the Bank of Colorado in Fort Lupton.