MR. WILLIAM K OR BILL THORPE JR, 44
Weatherford - William K. "Bill" Thorpe Jr., 44, grandson of the legendary athlete Jim Thorpe, passed away Sunday, February 4, 2001, at a Granbury nursing facility after a courageous battle with cancer.
Mr. Thorpe was born July 5, 1956, in Hawthorne, California. He married Donna Kemp Vandergriff on June 27, 1998 in Parker County. He lived in Rio Brazos for 10 years and worked six years for Montrex Drilling on the Moncrief Ranch. He was a member of the Glenview Baptist Church.
In 1984, he had the honor of starting the cross country torch run from New York City preceding the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He also participated in carrying the United States flag for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games with Jess Owens' granddaughter. Jim Thorpe's two Olympic God Medals were returned to the family in 1982, 70 years after he won the decathalon and the pentathalon in the 1912 Olympic Games.
After Bill's hard fought battle with cancer, his courage and dignity will continue to be an admired source of strength and inspiration to his framily. He will be sorely missed.
Survivors include his wife, Donna Kemp Thorpe of Weatherford; daughters, Angela Dawn Waller of Cool and Julia Dawn Vandergriff of Weatherford; a son, Jacob Roy Vandergriff of Weatherford; father and step-mother, William K. "Bill" Sr. and Robbie Thorpe of Arlington; mother, Velma Thorpe of Grand Prairie; grandmother, Freeda Thorpe of Yakima, Washington; and grandchildren, Wyatt Dale Waller and Payten Samantha Waller, both of Cool.
Funeral services will be held at the Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials to Vitas Hospice, 1400 8th ve, Bldg. C, 3rd Floor, Fort Worth 76104.
Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) on Wednesday, February 7, 2001.
Weatherford - William K. "Bill" Thorpe Jr., 44, grandson of the legendary athlete Jim Thorpe, passed away Sunday, February 4, 2001, at a Granbury nursing facility after a courageous battle with cancer.
Mr. Thorpe was born July 5, 1956, in Hawthorne, California. He married Donna Kemp Vandergriff on June 27, 1998 in Parker County. He lived in Rio Brazos for 10 years and worked six years for Montrex Drilling on the Moncrief Ranch. He was a member of the Glenview Baptist Church.
In 1984, he had the honor of starting the cross country torch run from New York City preceding the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He also participated in carrying the United States flag for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games with Jess Owens' granddaughter. Jim Thorpe's two Olympic God Medals were returned to the family in 1982, 70 years after he won the decathalon and the pentathalon in the 1912 Olympic Games.
After Bill's hard fought battle with cancer, his courage and dignity will continue to be an admired source of strength and inspiration to his framily. He will be sorely missed.
Survivors include his wife, Donna Kemp Thorpe of Weatherford; daughters, Angela Dawn Waller of Cool and Julia Dawn Vandergriff of Weatherford; a son, Jacob Roy Vandergriff of Weatherford; father and step-mother, William K. "Bill" Sr. and Robbie Thorpe of Arlington; mother, Velma Thorpe of Grand Prairie; grandmother, Freeda Thorpe of Yakima, Washington; and grandchildren, Wyatt Dale Waller and Payten Samantha Waller, both of Cool.
Funeral services will be held at the Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials to Vitas Hospice, 1400 8th ve, Bldg. C, 3rd Floor, Fort Worth 76104.
Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) on Wednesday, February 7, 2001.
MR. WILLIAM K OR BILL THORPE JR, 44
Weatherford - William K. "Bill" Thorpe Jr., 44, grandson of the legendary athlete Jim Thorpe, passed away Sunday, February 4, 2001, at a Granbury nursing facility after a courageous battle with cancer.
Mr. Thorpe was born July 5, 1956, in Hawthorne, California. He married Donna Kemp Vandergriff on June 27, 1998 in Parker County. He lived in Rio Brazos for 10 years and worked six years for Montrex Drilling on the Moncrief Ranch. He was a member of the Glenview Baptist Church.
In 1984, he had the honor of starting the cross country torch run from New York City preceding the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He also participated in carrying the United States flag for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games with Jess Owens' granddaughter. Jim Thorpe's two Olympic God Medals were returned to the family in 1982, 70 years after he won the decathalon and the pentathalon in the 1912 Olympic Games.
After Bill's hard fought battle with cancer, his courage and dignity will continue to be an admired source of strength and inspiration to his framily. He will be sorely missed.
Survivors include his wife, Donna Kemp Thorpe of Weatherford; daughters, Angela Dawn Waller of Cool and Julia Dawn Vandergriff of Weatherford; a son, Jacob Roy Vandergriff of Weatherford; father and step-mother, William K. "Bill" Sr. and Robbie Thorpe of Arlington; mother, Velma Thorpe of Grand Prairie; grandmother, Freeda Thorpe of Yakima, Washington; and grandchildren, Wyatt Dale Waller and Payten Samantha Waller, both of Cool.
Funeral services will be held at the Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials to Vitas Hospice, 1400 8th ve, Bldg. C, 3rd Floor, Fort Worth 76104.
Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) on Wednesday, February 7, 2001.
Weatherford - William K. "Bill" Thorpe Jr., 44, grandson of the legendary athlete Jim Thorpe, passed away Sunday, February 4, 2001, at a Granbury nursing facility after a courageous battle with cancer.
Mr. Thorpe was born July 5, 1956, in Hawthorne, California. He married Donna Kemp Vandergriff on June 27, 1998 in Parker County. He lived in Rio Brazos for 10 years and worked six years for Montrex Drilling on the Moncrief Ranch. He was a member of the Glenview Baptist Church.
In 1984, he had the honor of starting the cross country torch run from New York City preceding the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He also participated in carrying the United States flag for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games with Jess Owens' granddaughter. Jim Thorpe's two Olympic God Medals were returned to the family in 1982, 70 years after he won the decathalon and the pentathalon in the 1912 Olympic Games.
After Bill's hard fought battle with cancer, his courage and dignity will continue to be an admired source of strength and inspiration to his framily. He will be sorely missed.
Survivors include his wife, Donna Kemp Thorpe of Weatherford; daughters, Angela Dawn Waller of Cool and Julia Dawn Vandergriff of Weatherford; a son, Jacob Roy Vandergriff of Weatherford; father and step-mother, William K. "Bill" Sr. and Robbie Thorpe of Arlington; mother, Velma Thorpe of Grand Prairie; grandmother, Freeda Thorpe of Yakima, Washington; and grandchildren, Wyatt Dale Waller and Payten Samantha Waller, both of Cool.
Funeral services will be held at the Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials to Vitas Hospice, 1400 8th ve, Bldg. C, 3rd Floor, Fort Worth 76104.
Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) on Wednesday, February 7, 2001.
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