Edward Wilson Thorp of Beaumont was born on November 3, 1927 in Lake Charles, Louisiana to Agnes and Edward Thorp and died on July 16, 2007 with family and friends by his side. He was raised in Vinton and Lake Charles, Louisiana and later attended Texas Military Institute in San Antonio, from which he graduated in 1944. After a short stint in the Navy with the occupational forces in Japan, he returned to Louisiana State University to study geology on a track scholarship, where he also played football.
As a young well site geologist for Union Sulphur, he was sitting on a well south of Midland, Texas when he met his future father-in-law and business partner, Claude W. Brown of McCamey, Texas. Mr. Brown was so impressed with Ed that he took him home for dinner where he met Mr. Brown’s daughter, and his future wife, Claudyne. As a partner in Brown & Thorp Oil Company of McCamey and Beaumont and later as owner of Credo Oil & Gas, Ed drilled over 1,000 wells. He was also active in real estate, including building apartments in Fort Worth and Beaumont. His banking career included owning Security State Bank of McCamey and serving on the Board of Directors of Texas Commerce Bank and Jefferson Savings and Loan of Beaumont.
Ed served on the school board of the Beaumont School District and was able to present each of his children with their high school diplomas. He was also very active at Trinity United Methodist Church and served on the boards of Boys Haven and Cerebral Palsy.
PawPaw was really in his element when he had an audience, whether it was a large crowd of friends or just one of his grandchildren. He ran in thirteen Houston Marathons and actually pole vaulted in the Senior Olympics. He always loved coaching kids. Before his oldest could catch a ball, he coached a Little League All Star team from McCamey, Texas to become within one game of the Little League World Series. He especially loved coaching the Persia boys in Little League Baseball and Little Dribblers Basketball.
Ed was preceded in death by the mother of his children, Claudyne and her parents; his mother, Agnes Johnson; stepfather, Emerson Johnson; and his father, Edward Thorp. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; his sister, Madeline Hargrove and her husband Clyde; stepsister, Sandra Novelli; his children, Claude and his wife Andrea, Terry Dailey and her husband Frank, Christy Persia and her husband Mike, and Jim and his wife Cindy; stepdaughter, Seawillow Edwards; ten grandchildren, Wilson, Adrienne and Audrey Thorp, Agnes Dailey, Mike, Edward, Wesley, and Hannah Persia, and Lucy and Caroline Thorp; one great grandchild, Caleb Michael Thorp; and many Benoit family members.
He was blessed with caring friends and staff at The Forum at Memorial Park and also with wonderful friends and caregivers, Lexie Chase, Sandra Perales, Bobby Williams, Dorothy Lacy, Travis Miles, Tina Jefferies, Jill Miles, Cassie Craft, Gwen Harden, and Rose Esparza.
Friends and family are invited to visit with his immediate family at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the evening.
To celebrate his life and time with us, a memorial service for Ed will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 19, 2007 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison Street, Beaumont with burial following at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Ed’s sons-in-law, Frank Dailey and Mike Persia; grandsons, Wilson Thorp, Mike Persia, Edward Persia, and Wesley Persia, along with lifelong friends Bill Matthews, Buck McCullough, W. W. Williams, and Hal Lawson will serve as pallbearers.
In lieu of usual remembrances, the family suggests memorial contributions be directed to Trinity United Methodist Church, c/o The Morning Out Club, 3430 Harrison Street, Beaumont, Texas 77706.
