Patricia Thorpe

PADDY THORPE

Cedar Rapids

Patricia Margaret Bellamy, the second child of James Archibald Bellamy and Grace Caroline Thorogood, was born in Peterborough, England, on St. Patrick's Day in 1925.

Her siblings were Nancy Joan (Green), John Keith Bellamy and Barbara Millicent (Butler).

She attended school at the Peterborough County School and graduated with honors in art. World War II had started and once, while riding her bicycle, she narrowly escaped when a German fighter plane strafed her.

One of her first jobs after graduating was at Weber's Jewelry Store in Peterborough, where she met Raymond Miller Thorpe, an instrument mechanic in the United States Army Air Corps, her husband to be.

She enlisted in the W.A.A.F (Women's Auxiliary Air Force), a part of the Royal Air Force in 1944 and served as a radar operator protecting Britain from the cursed Luftwaffe.

She and husband Ray were married Oct. 19, 1944, in Peterborough, but were kept apart after their marriage till both had completed their tours of duty. She came to Webster City, Iowa, in 1946.

Over the next 12 years she had five children; Carol Lynne, Robert Archer John, Judith Gail (Hierstein), Raymond Monroe and Lisa Louise. Carol Lynne died at 9 months old.

In 1950, she and Ray and their family moved to Des Moines, where they were to live for 10 years. They moved again to Cedar Rapids, where Paddy lived ever since. She joined Grace Episcopal Church on her arrival and remained active in the church for the rest of her life.

Paddy had several jobs in her life; babysitting and bakery work, but her most important work was at K-Mart, where she advanced from an entry level worker to department head, personnel director and finally, resident assistant manager. She retired in 1987.

She returned to England many times in her life, often taking family with her. She traveled extensively after retirement going as far west as Hawaii and as far east as Germany, as well as all over the USA visiting her far flung family. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1997.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Carol Lynne; her husband, Raymond; both her parents; and her brother, John.

She is survived by her two sisters, Joan and Barbara; and her children, Robert (Karen) Thorpe, Judy (Bill) Hierstein, Raymond (Marilyn Almcrantz) Thorpe and Lisa Thorpe. She had eight grandchildren, Lance, Wendy, Emily, Jessica, Jenny, Sasha, Colin and Seth; and nine great-grandchildren, Rachel, Ben, Wyatt, Augie, Kadin, Lorelei, Sagen, ReJon and Caius.

Paddy died in her sleep the morning of Jan. 27, 2015, a little after midnight. She had been battling pancreatic cancer for some months.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2, at Grace Episcopal Church, 525 A Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. A luncheon at the church will follow the service.

Memorials may be given to Grace Episcopal Church.

Please share your support and condolences with Paddy's family on her celebration wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.