Owen G. Thorp, III - Obituary

APT Owen Godfrey Thorp III (USN), 62, died peacefully at home on Oct 29, 2017, surrounded by his loving family. Owen was a devoted Husband, loving Father, consummate Naval Officer, and talented saxophone player. He was born on October 31, 1954, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to the late Alyce and Owen Thorp Jr. of Warren, NJ. He graduated from United States Naval Academy (USNA) in 1977, receiving his B.S. in Mathematics. After completing Nuclear Power School in Ballston Spa, NY, and Naval Submarine School in Groton, Conn., he was stationed on the USS Baton Rouge (SSN-689), in Norfolk, VA, where he qualified in submarines. During his tour in Norfolk, he met his wife Kathy at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, and within a few months, he found himself with orders to Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, FL. He swiftly proposed and married her that same year, in an effort to be stationed together, to live their faith and begin a family. In 1984, after the birth of their first child, he resigned his Officer commission and moved to Annapolis, near USNA, where he worked for Westinghouse Electrical Corporation as a Deputy Program Manager, while re-affiliating with the Naval Reserves. After five years, he left the private sector to work for Department of the Navy, in the Seawolf Program Office, as Branch Head and Assistant Manager for the Towed Systems, Submarine Combat Systems Program located in Arlington, Virginia. He returned to active duty, teaching the Midshipmen in Mechanical and Systems Engineering at USNA. Through his hard work ethic, good humor, and intellect, he was selected for various positions during his 20-year tenure, to include Deputy Division Director of the Engineering and Weapons Division, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, and Assistant Professor. Through the years, he received a Masters, and Ph.D., in Mechanical Engineering from Catholic University and served proudly on the Catholic University Advisory board in Engineering, among other academic and advisory Boards at the Naval Academy. His mentorship, teaching ability, and enthusiasm earned him the Clements Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008. He published over a dozen research articles, much too technical for the average individual. He was involved with the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Midshipmen club, and St. Mary’s Church Advisory Board, sharing his Catholic faith with others. His most prized collateral duty was serving as the Academic Representative for the Navy Lacrosse team, intervening, supporting and encouraging countless of Midshipmen who successfully graduated and served and are serving with distinction as United States Navy and Marine Corps Officers. He loved Navy football and missed only one Army-Navy game in the past 44 years when his illness prevented him from doing so. One of his favorite hobbies included dusting off his saxophone, and re-joining his cousin’s 60’s rock band. He also played with the Annapolis Junction band, at the Fleet Reserves club in downtown Annapolis. Times like these in seeing the Midshipmen, his classmates and the FOCUS missionaries swinging with the older, talented crowd brought him such happiness. Owen’s other cherished hobby was setting up the Christmas trains for his beloved children each Christmas holiday, no matter what age they became. He treasured time with friends and family at the beach house on LBI, N.J. where he spent hours fishing at the shoreline, enjoying God’s beauty. Owen loved his children, Regina, Andrew, Lauren and Matthew, proud of each of their endeavors, and accomplishments through the years, with three entering Military Service. Through his example, he left them with tools to grow their faith and to serve others. His greatest love of his life was his wife Kathy, whom he adored through their 35 years of marriage. Owen is survived by his wife, Kathy; his children, Major Regina Thorp (United States Army), Andrew, Lauren and LTJG Matthew Thorp (United States Navy); his sister Amanda Strigl, and brother Gary Thorp, numerous nieces and nephews, and his treasured grandchildren, Madeline and Michael Thorp (children of Regina) who he loved deeply, and who each adored him, calling him “Poppa”. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Sisters of Life for which he affectionately became associated with by knowing Admiral John Cardinal O’Connor, their founder, while as a student at the USNA. (http://www.sistersoflife.org/donations) Friends are invited to celebrate Owen’s life on Sunday, Nov 5th, from 2-4p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomon’s Island Rd., Edgewater, MD. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday, Nov 6th at the USNA Chapel, Annapolis. Interment will follow at the USNA cemetery. After the interment, the family has extended an invitation to join them at the United States Navy and Marine Corps Memorial Stadium N* Room to honor his memory. Please sign the family's online guestbook by visiting the link on this page.