Obituary of William Henry Thorpe

William Henry Thorpe, treasured father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on September 25, 2013, in Dartmouth. Born in Scott's Bay on June 19, 1918, Bill was the son of Harris and Flora Thorpe. From an early age, Bill was immersed in the art of wooden boat building with his father and uncle. He not only inherited their innate skill in crafting wood, but also their love of adventure, and he spent several years in Northern Canada with the Hudson Bay Company. In addition, he worked as a master boat builder in the shipyards at Port Greville and Shelburne, building many boats including two and three-masted schooners, yachts, naval mine sweepers (during the Second World War), and RCMP cutters. In 1961 he and his family moved to Dartmouth where he was the shipwright supervisor at the Halifax Dockyard. Upon his retirement, he designed and built two boats for himself: in Edmonton, a river houseboat in which he re-traced his earlier 1700 km journeys down the MacKenzie River to Tuktoyaktuk, and in Scott's Bay, a Cape Islander which he and his wife enjoyed on the Bay of Fundy for many years. Bill was a true craftsman who built houses and fine furniture, designed and created silver and gold jewellery and pottery, painted land and seascapes, and could fix just about anything, much to the delight of his family. Although he was a quiet and gentle man who never considered himself a "good conversationalist", he could tell wonderful stories of his many adventures. Bill was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Jean. He will be deeply missed by his son Jim (Jackie), Edmonton; granddaughter, Bailey (Tim) Sousa (Avriella, Arion), Edmonton; grandson Elliott (Leah Genge), Calgary; daughter Susan (partner David Hatcher), Dartmouth; daughter Nancy, Musquodoboit Harbour; granddaughter Amelia, Toronto, and sister Hazel Tupper, Edmonton. A celebration of Bill's life will be held in Union Church, Scott's Bay, on Thursday, October 3,2013 at 1 p.m. Donations in Bill's memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.