Richard Lee Thorp Jr., 55, a resident of Onalaska, Wash., passed away May 11, 2018. He was born in Fayetteville, N.C., and spent most of his years in the Vancouver, Wash., area.
Rick leaves behind his daughter, Autumn, whom he cherished and loved dearly. He will also be sadly missed by his girlfriend of 12 years; his father, mother, six siblings, many nieces and nephews and lots of friends.
Rick was the best father, brother, son and friend anyone could ask for. He had a knack for always making those closest to him feel loved and thought of.
As a child Rick was all boy, he had a great sense of adventure. Rick would fashion a bike ramp and jump the grand canyon if given the chance. The oldest of seven siblings, he was very protective over his little brothers and sisters. Some siblings would argue that they didn't learn to fight for themselves because their big brother always took care of them.
In his young adult years, he loved camping by himself for days at a time and sometimes he would bring along his close friends. Rick had a huge circle of good friends growing up and created many treasured memories.
He loved the outdoors, his family, watching NASCAR and riding his motorcycle with his good friend, Kirk. Rick was skilled in many things including, fishing, auto-mechanics and construction. In his early adulthood, Rick was a commercial fisherman and then moved on to work in construction. Most recently he took a position in maintenance at the Onalaska School District, where he found a family of friends he loved spending time with. Rick was respected and loved by all in his community. He was an incredibly hard worker and it seemed there was nothing he couldn't fix! He was a master carpenter and could build anything and loved to help others with his skills and service.
He was incredibly loyal to his girlfriend of 12 years and made sure his mother was well loved and cared for on his property.
Rick will be remembered for his charming smile and kind heart, his unforgettable laugh, which could be heard throughout the house during family gatherings and for his generous nature. He never hesitated to help someone in need and he was especially wonderful with kids. Rick was always patient and understanding while demonstrating those practices and values to others.
He was known for his soft, yet strong nature. Rick was kind and generous and loving to everyone that knew him. He was dearly loved by his family and friends and he will be greatly missed and always remembered for the wonderful person he was and the love he brought to all of our lives.
A celebration of life gathering will be held at 12 p.m.,Saturday, May 26, 2018, at the Onalaksa Elementary School, 540 Carlisle Ave., Onalaska, WA 98570. All who knew and loved Rick are welcome to come. Bringing a dish is welcomed, but not required.
