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ITHACA - Ralph E. Thorpe, age 68 of Ithaca, NY died Sunday morning at Cayuga Medical Center. Ralph was born in Ithaca, the son of the late Howard and Loreen Thorpe.


Ralph was a Vietnam Veteran in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1965, after which he spent some time in California and ventured into owning his first business. He later returned to Ithaca and began his involvement with buying and selling properties. Throughout this time to present, he formed Cayuga Property Management. He was also the owner of the State Street Bargain House. Ralph will always be remembered by many for founding the Ithaca Clock Museum. He was well known for his random acts of kindness, for his amazing likeness to Santa Clause, as well as his love for clocks.


Survivors include his two daughters, Juliet (Thomas) Nimmo, Peggy Sue (David Budzak) Thorpe; one son, Adam Howard (Valerie Richardson) Thorpe; four grandsons, Chance Van Cleef II, Isaac Nimmo, Ryan Nimmo, and Jonathon Nimmo; a granddaughter, Olivia Budzak; two sisters, Beverly Thompson and Mary Burton; several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by two brothers.


Friends and family may call Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Herson Funeral Home, located at the Family Service Center, 110 S. Geneva Street, Ithaca. Burial will be on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Grove Cemetery in Trumansburg with full military honors. A Celebration of Ralph's Life will take place on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Clock Museum, 136 State Street, Ithaca. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either the Danby Federated Church, 1859 Danby Road, Ithaca, or to the Salvation Army, 150 N. Albany Street, Ithaca.

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