Deacon George W. Thorp Jr.
Advocate of preborn personified Hawaii’s respect life effort
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Retired deacon George W. Thorp Jr., a member of the diocese’s first class of permanent deacons and long identified for his passionate allegiance to the pro-life cause, died peacefully in his home in Kailua on Jan. 10. He was 84 and a deacon for 43 years.
Paulette Vernay, a retired diocesan employee who volunteered to work with Deacon Thorp when he was director of the diocesan Respect Life Office in the late 1900s and early 2000s, said the deacon inspired her to become more involved in the prolife movement.
“Deacon George Thorpe was an inspiration to me in the realm of respect life, of restoring the dignity of every human being, beginning with the most vulnerable in the womb,” she said.
“He never stopped advocating for the unborn,” Vernay said.
“And in his own sufferings, that man was very prayerful,” she said. “He never stopped. And he always wanted to be a part of it, even when he was in a wheelchair.”
“But he was always a man of joy when it came to standing up for the voiceless,” she said. “I will never forget that because that’s how I really got more involved in respect life.”
“He was a wonderful man. I’m so grateful that God put me in his path. That makes me a better person to have known him,” she said. “So yes. A beautiful person. Absolutely. I have no doubts that he went straight to heaven.”
Deacon Thomas Miyashiro, one of the members of Deacon Thorp’s deacon class, said he “admired George’s passion for the respect life cause.”
“His involvement as director of the diocesan Respect Life office was indicative of his commitment,” he said. “Like a contractor-engineer who got his work shoes dirty, George was grounded in his respect life work.”
“George was a hands-on deacon,” Miyashiro said.
Bishop John. J. Scanlan ordained Thorp on Dec. 5, 1981, at St. Theresa Church (now co-cathedral) in Honolulu, along with the seven other members of Hawaii’s first class of permanent deacons. The others in the class were Bill Hughes, Ronald Choo, George Christiansen, Richard Port, Thomas Miyashiro, Andy Gerakas and Bob Cupp.
Deacon Keith Cabiles grew close to Deacon Thorp at the end of his ministry, a few years before he retired from St. Anthony, Kailua.
“I remember him telling me a story about how young women in pregnancy crises would call him at all hours of the day to get advice, or just have someone to talk to,” Deacon Cabiles said. “He would meet them at church or in a restaurant and be the spiritual guide they needed.”
Thorp was born on Feb. 8, 1939, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to George and Florence Thorp.
He graduated from the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology with a degree in civil engineering.
After working for several years as a civil engineer in Massachusetts, he grew weary of the cold and moved to Hawaii in the early 1970s. He worked in Hawaii’s construction industry for 50 years.
He was also a parish and school maintenance consultant for the Diocese of Honolulu.
Deacon Thorp served at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Waikane, for 17 years; St. John Parish, Wheaton, Maryland, for two years; as the National Life Coalition Deputy Director from 1986 to1988 in Washington, D.C.; at St. Anthony Parish, Kalihi, for 10 years; and at St. Anthony Parish, Kailua, for five years.
Deacon Thorp was also a member of the Diocesan Family Life Commission and director of the Diocesan Respect Life Office.
He was also a Knight of Columbus and chaplain for several Catholic organizations.
He retired in 2014.
On the personal side, he loved to hunt and fish, for trout especially.
He is survived by his wife Josefina (Serapio), four sons George W. Thorp III (Charlotte, North Carolina), Michael S. Thorp (Eustis, Florida), Dennis P. Thorp (Houston, Texas) and William C. Thorp (Clinton, Maine); and four grandchildren James Thorp, Elizabeth Thorp, Inna Thorp and Chelsea Dennis.
He is also survived by his brothers Joseph Thorp (Acton, Massachusetts), and Robert Thorp (Haleiwa), and sister Jayne Thorp (Kailua). He is preceded in death by his first wife, Marcia Jane Davenport, and brother Paul V. Thorp of (Ashland, Massachusetts).
Deacon Thorp’s funeral was scheduled for Jan. 29 at St. Anthony Church in Kailua.
