Jeffery Scott Thorpe, age 58 passed away in his home in Culbertson, MT on the morning of January 18th 2022 surrounded by his family.

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

We had just found out about the large tumors a couple days before Thanksgiving 2021 & confirmed it was fast growing Stage 4 colon cancer that had largely spread to his liver as well, in early December. He fought hard & was so strong through all of it!

Jeff and his siblings and parents lived on a farm in Kelliher, MN, where he was very active on the farm; he played 4 years football for the Kelliher Dragons in high school. He also loved to hunt, fish and was a pretty avid reader. Jeff loved talking politics and was a WWII history buff; he would talk with you for hours.

Cindy said, on hot summer days if they all finished haying and milking the cows early their mom and dad would take them up to Sunny Beach to swim and then back to Kelliher for ice cream at the Road Runner Drive-In.

They also used to spend a lot of time playing in the woods and climbing trees. Dana & Jeff hunted squirrels in the summer and went sucker fishing in the spring.

Every fall they all had some fun getting to go to “Crazy Days” in Bemidji school shopping. And when Dana was home from the army, he and Jeff would go out rat-racing on the snowmobiles!

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

Jeff & Candy got married June 15, 1985, lived in MN until 1989 when they moved to Kalispell, MT not long after their daughter and first child Tasha was born in 1988. Jeff & Candy went fishing in Red Lake a lot when they first married & he taught his daughter to fish & she still loves it to this day!

Jeff used to take Tasha to Woodland Park in Kalispell and feed the Canadian Honkers. Tasha remembers her dad pushing her and all the other kids at the park on the merry-go-round. To her, her dad was the strongest man she ever knew... like superman!

There were a couple more moves- to Columbia Falls, then Scobey in 1994 where Jeff started working at Nemont. In Dec. 1996 they moved to Culbertson where he ended up retiring from Nemont Telephone Co. in June 2021.

His little boy Zachary was also born in 1993. When Zach was little & in boy scouts Jeff loved helping him out especially with the box car derbies and making the cars! The joy on Jeff’s face when he saw how happy Zach was that he had won!

Jeff loved his family and his dogs, especially Kodybug, his “little” doxie. When he was in a train accident in 2011 Kody “unofficially” became “dad’s 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 S.D. Most weekends in the summer they were “wrenching” on things or out riding.

Jeff was really excited when his first grandchild was born in 2020! He called her his “little Harley girl” and he was her “Ampa!” He may not always have been a man of many emotional words- but he truly did love his wife, kids, dogs, granddaughter and all of his family!

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!

Jeff Thorpe was preceded in death by Edward Thorpe (father), Idella Thorpe (mother).

Jeff Thorpe is survived by his wife Candy Thorpe, daughter Tasha Thorpe, son Zach Thorpe, and granddaughter Harley; his brother Dana Thorpe (Misty), his sister Cindy Weigle (Jim) & many brothers and sisters in law as well as numerous nieces/nephews & great nieces/nephews.

It was Jeff’s wish to be scattered with Kodybug when the time comes in Western Montana- “so that they can be free together”

Special Thanks: to all of our relatives & family that came out and helped during his time here at home; as well as everyone that helped with meals & things, text and calls, visiting him at home & in the hospital. Dad appreciated the company so much!

Memorial Contribution