Stephen Bryant Thorp

Stephen Bryant Thorp

Age 65, a resident of Farmington, Arkansas, passed away Sunday, February 11, 2024 at his home. He was born October 11, 1958 in Munich, Germany, the son of Col. Lee Levon and Nita (Brown) Thorp.

Stephen was proud to have served in the United States Army where he was stationed overseas in Italy. The better part of his life was spent as an Air Traffic Controller in many cities around the United States including Kodiak, Alaska, Casper, Wyoming, and Fayetteville, Arkansas—he choose these assignments because he was an avid fly fisherman and these locations provided great opportunities to practice his skills. After an early retirement Stephen moved back to Northwest Arkansas and opened his gaming store, Fort Zinderneuf Games and Hobbies. This store was later merged with Gear Gaming, where he was an active member of the staff and a friendly face to the gaming community.

Among his many hobbies, Stephen loved miniature trains, having at one-point entire rooms in his home committed to villages and train routes. Stephen also enjoyed building lead soldier armies. Painting each individual soldier to match a specific regiment or cohort. He set these armies against one another in reenactments of specific historical battles ranging from the Napoleonic era to the American civil war.

Stephen didn't limit his historical interests to warring armies. He spent a great deal of energy studying his family origins. He had hoped to visit a cemetery in the New England area containing the remains of one of his relatives who served in the Revolutionary War.

He was a lifelong Cardinals fan. Stephen was well on his way to visiting all the Major League ball parks to watch the Cardinals play.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include two brothers Michael Thorp of Aberdeen, Maryland, and Russell Thorp of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Funeral service will be held 2:30 PM Wednesday, February 21st, 2024, at the Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas.