Jeffery Thorpe

Jeffery Scott Thorpe, 58, died in his home in Culbertson Jan. 18, 2022.

He was born to Edward and Idella Thorpe on May 16, 1963, in Bemidji, Minn. He lived with his parents, older brother Dana and older sister Cindy in Kelliher, Minn.

He and his siblings and parents lived on a farm in Kelliher, Minn., where he was very active on the farm. He played four years football for the Kelliher Dragons in high school. He also loved to hunt, fish and was a pretty avid reader. He loved talking politics and was a WWII history buff.

After he graduated high school in 1981, he went to vo-tech in Alexander, Minn., for small engine and marine. Shortly after he graduated there, he met Candy Tisland at a dance hall outside of Kelliher and the rest is history.

They got married June 15, 1985, lived in Minnesota until 1989 when they moved to Kalispell, not long after their daughter and first child Tasha was born in 1988. They went fishing in Red Lake often when they first married. He taught his daughter to fish and she still loves it to this day. His son, Zachary, was born in 1993.

There were a couple more moves — to Columbia Falls, then Scobey in 1994 where he started working at Nemont. In December 1996, they moved to Culbertson where he retired from Nemont Telephone Co. in June 2021.

When Zach was little and in Boy Scouts, Jeff loved helping him out, especially with the box car derbies and making the cars.

He loved his family and his dogs, especially Kodybug, his “little” doxie. When he was in a train accident in 2011, Kody “unofficially” became “his dog” and they did everything and went everywhere together.

Zach and Jeff also shared a passion for fixing vehicles and riding their Harley Davidsons on trips together, like their recent one to South Dakota. Most weekends in the summer they were “wrenching” on things or out riding.

He was really excited when his first grandchild was born in 2020.

Working with a company as long as he did, he created some lifelong friendships that he truly cherished and was incredibly appreciative for. There are quite a few and they’re also like family to him.

He is survived by his wife, Candy Thorpe; daughter, Tasha Thorpe; son, Zach Thorpe; granddaughter; brother, Dana Thorpe; and sister, Cindy Weigle.

It was his wish to be scattered with Kodybug when the time comes in western Montana “so that they can be free together.”

A memorial service was held Tuesday, Jan. 25, at Fulkerson- Stevenson Memorial

Chapel in Sidney with Pastor

Richard Evans officiating.