Thorpe, former area school teacher, dies

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Andrea Thorpe, a former teacher in the Fort Lupton school system, died Jan. 11 at the age of 76. She was born July 17, 1946, in Duluth, Minnesota. Her family eventually settled in Des Moines, Iowa. Her father was a major in the Air Force, and her mother owned a stationery shop. Andrea Thorpe was one of the helpers in the store. While in college, she was a foreign exchange student in Argentina and learned to speak Spanish. She graduated from a teaching degree with an emphasis in Spanish in English.

Her first teaching job was in

Our Family Helping Your Family

Gresham, Nebraska, in 1968, where she was a Spanish teacher. She also met her future husband, Jack Thorpe, an English teacher and basketball coach. They married in December 1969.

Their next stop was Stromsburg, Neb., where they taught for two years. Then it was off to Wymore, Neb., for three more years. Mrs. Thorpe’s obituary at www.taborfuneralhome.com says, “This is where Andi first fell in love with exposing students to culture and the outside world when she and Jack took 20 students from a small farm town in Nebraska throughout Mexico and ended the trip in Acapulco.”

The Thorpes came to Denver in 1974. She took the first AngloSpanish teacher position in the Fort Lupton school system. A year later, her husband took a job as an eighth-grade English teacher.

Aside from teaching, she was the yearbook advisor for most of her time at Fort Lupton High School and a student council advisor.

“Andi created friendships and connections that lasted for years and generations. She taught multiple generations of families, watching students grow from teenagers to parents and, in some cases, grandparents,” the obituary read.

She retired after 31 years to spend time fishing, sewing, knitting and being with her family, especially her grandchildren.

“She will be remembered by many as a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, mentor, and great friend,” the obituary read. “Her hugs were there to always comfort you in a time of need; she would always have an ear to listen to anything you needed and advice that would touch your soul. She will be remembered by many as a calming light in the storm to help guide those who needed her. She will be profoundly missed by all.”

Survivors include her husband; her son, Dan (Laura) Thorpe; her daughter, NeSesana (John) Flores; her son-in-law, Greg Flores; grandchildren Landon, Kinsley,

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Obituaries, Arrangements and Resources Online at taborfuneralhome.com allieventcenter.com

HAMMERLUND George Hammerlund

April 8, 1924 - December 4, 2022

George H. Hammerlund of Brighton Colo. He was laid to rest along with Harriet Hammerlund Dec.27th 2022 at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

George and Harriet are survived by their 5 children , 9 grand children , 17 great grand children and 3 great great grand children. ey will be greatly missed.

July 17, 1946 - January 11, 2023

On January 11, 2023, Andrea P. orpe was called up to heaven while peacefully surrounded by loved ones and family.

Andi orpe (76) was born on July 17, 1946, in Duluth, Minnesota. She grew up in various areas until her family settled in Des Moines, Iowa, with a father who was a major in the Air Force and a mother who owned a stationery shop that she would help in after school. She went on to graduate with her teaching degree and an emphasis in both Spanish and English. While in college, she became a foreign exchange student in Argentina, where she fell in love with the culture and learned to speak Spanish uently.

Andi took her rst position as a teacher in Gresham, Nebraska, in 1968 as a Spanish teacher, where she met her best friend, soul mate, and love of her life, Jack orpe, who was an English teacher as well as a basketball coach. ey were married at Saint Andrew’s Church in Nebraska in December of 1969.

Both Jack and Andi moved to Stromsburg, Nebraska, where they taught for two years and then moved on to Wymore, Nebraska, to teach for three more years. is is where Andi rst fell in love with exposing students to culture and the outside world when she and Jack took twenty students from a small farm town in Nebraska throughout Mexico and ended the trip in Acapulco. She found her passion and her life’s calling while exposing these students to a culture and the world that they may not have been able to see otherwise.

In 1974, Andi was o ered a position as the rst Anglo Spanish teacher in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and took the position without hesitation, so she and Jack moved to Denver, Colorado, to start their own lives there. She started teaching during a time when Fort Lupton was going through hardship and gang riots, but she found a way to make a di erence in her students’ lives. Her husband Jack went on to become an 8th grade English teacher a year later. Mr. and Mrs. orpe were able to nd a special home within the Fort Lupton community. It was well known that Mrs. orpe’s door was always open for anyone in need, whether it was during school hours or not.

Andi was much more than a teacher; she was the yearbook advisor for most of her time at

Fort Lupton High School, as well as the student council advisor, Spanish teacher, and English teacher. From chili and study nights in their home for students, trips to the mountains for student retreats and shing trips, homecoming dance decorating and planning, and trips to England, Italy, and Greece with students, there were few that went to Fort Lupton High School that didn’t know the orpe name. Andi created friendships and connections that lasted for years and generations. She taught multiple generations of families, watching students grow from teenagers to parents and, in some cases, grandparents. After 31 years working at Fort Lupton High School, Andi retired to spend more time shing, sewing, knitting, and being with her family, with her true passion being playing with her grandchildren. She will be remembered by many as a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, mentor, and great friend. Her hugs were there to always comfort you in a time of need; she would always have an ear to listen to anything you needed and advice that would touch your soul. She will be remembered by many as a calming light in the storm to help guide those who needed her. She will be profoundly missed by all.

Andi is survived by her husband, Jack orpe, of Fort Lupton, CO, her son, Dan (Laura) orpe, her daughter, NaSeana (John) Flores, and her son-in-law Greg Flores. along with her grandchildren: Landon, Kinsley, Odi, Devina, Spencer, Hayden, and Tanner. Andi is also survived by her brotherin-law Bobb (Anne) orpe, their sons Brook and James orpe, as well as her sister-inlaw Dee (Larry) Frost and their son David (Ti any) orpe.

Andi was preceded in death by her mother, Norma June Anderson, her father, Herbert Anderson, and her brother, Kirk Anderson. ere will be a Celebration of Life Memorial Service held at Fort Lupton High School on Saturday, February 4th, starting with a gathering at 11:30, Memorial Service at 12:00, and a reception with food to follow.

In lieu of owers, donations can be made to the scholarship fund in both Jack and Andi orpe’s names at the Bank of Colorado in Fort Lupton.

The game was close, there was less than two minutes to go, and the eld was a mix of snow and slush. On the previous play, his hand had been caught between two helmets as he attempted to make the tackle. When the play was over and he made his way back to the defensive huddle, he refused to look at his hand because he knew it had been broken. He didn’t want to come out of the game. As he took up his position as an outside linebacker, the opposing team threw a pass play in his direction, and with his good hand he was still able to make a play on the ball and de ect the pass. He played through the pain. at story was shared with me about a high school athlete who had the heart of a lion. After that last play his coach called him to the sideline as he knew something wasn’t right and he took him out of the game. And indeed, his hand was broken.

Each of us has probably lived through at least one season of life, if not many where we also played through the pain. It might have been personally or professionally, but we knew that no