Blanche E. Thorpe

Age 90, died Friday, October 11, 2025, at Wellspring Nursing in Fairview, Michigan, surrounded by her loved ones. Mass of Christian Burial will take place 12:00 noon, Saturday, October 18, 2025, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mt. Morris. Rev. Fr. Roy Horning and Rev. Fr. Santiago Hoyumpa concelebrating; with burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery. Family will gather at St. Mary Catholic Church on Saturday morning to receive friends from 10:00 am until the time of mass at 12:00 noon. Memorial contributions may be considered to The Monastery of the Holy Cross in Iron Mountain. Expressions of sympathy may be placed on Blache’s tribute page on martinfuneralhome.com.

Blanche was born in Flint, on April 21, 1935, to Mr. & Mrs. John Joseph and Blanche Helen (Champagne) Bourassa; she was one of their 10 children. Blanche had Paralytic Lumbar Polio as a senior of All Saints Catholic High School in 1952. It left her paralyzed from the chest down for many years. Blanche graduated high school, plus two-years college in business administration. She married and raised four children while helping many form prayer groups in various parishes belonging to the Fatima Apostolate. She became a member of The Discalced Carmelite in 1975; and was an auxiliary member of the Knights of Columbus and long-time member of the St. Mary Catholic Church in Mio, Michigan, and a former member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Mt. Morris.

Left to cherish her memory are her three children: Mark A. Thorpe, Daniel V. Thorpe, and Cheryl Smith; seven lovely grandchildren; Jessica, James, Jr., Erica, John David, Wyatt, Dakota, and Logan; 12 great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Hadrian, Caspian, Ryder, Haven, Reed, Meagan, Bayleigh, Alainah, Landyn, Austin, and Dallas.

Blanche was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Claude; two daughters: baby, Sherryl Ann, and daughter, Theresa A. Parker; sisters: Fern Schabauer, Gladys McKeever, Helen Chalaboux, Aurelia Ayoub, Grace Ford, and Alma Glassford; brothers: John Bourassa, Basil Bourassa, and James Bourassa.