Hanover, N.H. —
Merle was born in April 1929, the son of the late Merle L. Thorpe, Sr. and Florence H. Thorpe. His parents taught him the values of self sufficiency, hard work and selflessness towards others which greatly influenced him as a young and independent boy. Merle grew up in the rural mid-Hudson region in Binnewater, N.Y., attended a one-room schoolhouse, and graduated high school in Kingston, N.Y. Following in his brother Alton’s footsteps, and with his parent’s encouragement, he worked his way through Dartmouth College earning a degree in Physics (AB ‘51) and a master’s in Engineering Science and Mechanical Engineering (MS ‘53). His master’s thesis was in the field of thermodynamics. He declined a Guggenheim Fellowship at Princeton to follow his passion into the world of entrepreneurship, applying his principles of smart hard work balanced with calculated risk taking. His Dartmouth education helped him break the family’s poverty cycle engendered by the Great Depression. With his success, he provided a great life for his family and enjoyed applying his God given talents to his vocations. Years later he commented, “Dartmouth introduced us to New Hampshire and we decided to stay.”
A three-year stint at Union Carbide’s Linde Laboratory helped him realize that he needed to work for himself. He returned to Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering as an Assistant Professor, Engineering and Physics. While serving as Assistant Dean of Thayer in 1956, he co-founded his first business, Thermal Dynamics in Lebanon. This risk involved cutting his salary, borrowing money, working long days, and travelling internationally. He soon found his talents lay in starting and incubating new technology ventures. His entrepreneurial spirit helped create a number of modest-sized international companies in arc metal cutting, high temperature chemical and ceramic production, high temperature research tools, and thermal spraying of metals and ceramics. These companies included Thermal Dynamics, Corp., Thorpe Corp., Ionarc Smelters, Humphrey’s Corp., Arc Corp., and TAFA Incorporated all based in New Hampshire. He was a pioneer in the introduction of advanced technologies to New Hampshire. After retiring in 1993, he continued his quest for mastering technology and taught himself personal computing.
He was a Fellow and Trustee of ASM International, received The Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award, was inducted into the first group of ASM’s Thermal Spray Hall of Fame members, was awarded the N.H. Council High Tech Entrepreneur Award in 1989, and the ASM’s William Hunt Eisenman Award in 1999. He authored nearly 50 papers and industry articles and secured over 10 patents.
He applied the same level of passion to his pastimes — weekend skiing at Sunapee and Cannon Mountain with his family and bridge. He and his wife, Inge, took up golf at 40 and became successful, competitive golfers scoring many Holes-In-One and winning club championships. He was immensely proud of the work he did and the friends he made while serving on the Board of The Seasons at The Lake Sunapee Country Club, and his membership with The 200 Club organizing and playing in golf tournaments worldwide. He authored and published The 200 Club – A Fifty Year History 1957-2007. He and Inge enjoyed spending time with their family providing many memorable and educational excursions. He loved sharing knowledge as an educator throughout life, and no matter how busy he found the time to be a leader in community and church affairs serving as School Board Chairman, SAU 53 and various church Youth Groups. His wry sense of humor was appreciated by all who knew and interacted with him.
Merle is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of 64 years, Inge of Hanover and three children: Karon Puffer and son-in-law Mark of Concord; Merle Thorpe, III, of Washington DC; and Richard Thorpe and daughter-in-law Joyce of Bow and six grandchildren, Amanda and Alison Puffer, Melissa, Mitchell, Merle IV, and Natalie Thorpe and his beloved sister-in-law Carol Thorpe. He was immensely proud of them all. He was predeceased by his sister Marian Lobdell and his best friend and brother Alton.
According to Merle’s wishes, there are no calling hours or services. A private family memorial is scheduled for the spring. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to family members or to his email address as he would be honored by continued email communication, merlethorpe2@gmail.com.
“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light” Dylan Thomas, 1943.