Evelyn Gregory Thorpe

Evelyn Gregory Thorpe, 96, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2020, at her home in Fairview.

Mrs. Thorpe was born January 3, 1924, in Buncombe County to the late Willard and Anna Dalton Gregory. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Z. Thorpe (2003), by sons, Jim Thorpe (Jennifer, also deceased) and Dean Thorpe and by brothers and sisters, Talmage Gregory, Atlas Anderson, Gladys Moore, Paul Gregory and Wayne Gregory.

Mrs. Thorpe dedicated her adult life to caring for more than 300 children in her home and teaching them about God. They all referred to her as “Nanny”. She was a lifelong member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and at 96 years, had the longest tenure of anyone in the church history.

She is survived by her daughter, Ina Treadway (Bob); sons, Danny Thorpe and Jerry Thorpe (Tina); daughter-in-law, Kathy Thorpe (the late Dean Thorpe); grandchildren, January Dickinson (Todd), Jerry Thorpe II (Gardner), Jessica Jacoby (Jim Wayne), Jenny Wyatt, Danny Lee Thorpe, Jr., Sherrie Romans (Paul), Darin Lipe (Donna), Steven Thorpe, Lindsey Thorpe, Lauren Thorpe, Darrell McDaris, Robert Treadway (Donna), Cindy Treadway and Tracy Donati (Phillip); 29 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Edith Hogan and Alice Rothenburg, and a brother, Melvin Gregory (Rhoda).

Funeral services will be at 12:00 noon Tuesday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Charles Rogers and Thomas Lanning officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Thorpe will lie in repose at the church one hour prior to the service on Tuesday.

Facial masks are required and social distancing is recommended.

In lieu of flowers (especially no cut flowers, please, per her previous request) memorials may be made to the Pleasant Grove Cemetery Fund, PO Box 428, Fairview, NC 28730.