Lester D. Thorp, 71, Wapella, passed away at 6:20 a.m. Monday (Feb. 11, 2013) at Advocate BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at First Christian Church, Clinton, with J. Kent Hickerson and Steve Evans officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Park Cemetery, Clinton. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton.

Memorials may be made to the Little Galilee Christian Assembly, First Christian Church, Normal Community Cancer Center or Advocate BroMenn Vascular Care Unit.

Lester was born Jan. 28, 1942, in Clinton, the son of Carl and Doris Lampe Thorp. He married Katherine S. Reed on June 23, 1962, in Clinton.

Survivors include his wife, Katherine S. Thorp, Wapella; children, Susan (Mike) Walters, Heyworth; Michael (Kathy) Thorp, Wapella; Jeffrey (Brenda) Thorp, Decatur; and Sara O’Brien, Clinton; 11 grandchildren, Christopher Walters, Nick Walters, Ashley Garner, Brittany Bauer, Chloe Thorp, Emily Thorp, Grace Thorp, Scott Thorp, Laura O’Brien, Shawn O’Brien and Erin O’Brien; eight great-grandchildren, Conner Garner, Ian Garner, Nolan Garner, Liam Garner, Kazanna Garner, McKayla Bauer, J.D. Bauer and Peyton Bauer; siblings, Frank Thorp, Clinton; Bernice Whitted, Clinton; and Claude (Linda) Thorp, Crawfordsville, Ind. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Carl Dean and Fred Thorp.

Lester was a member of First Christian Church, Clinton, and a former board member of First Christian Church and Wapella Christian Church. He was a former chairman of the board of Thorp Seed Co. and past president of Golden Harvest Seed Inc. He was also a member of Central Golden Harvest Research, the Illinois Soybean Association, the Illinois Crop Improvement and Agriculture Advisory Counsel for the U of I.

Online condolences may be made at www.calvertmemorial.com.