FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 61

B

rigadier General 
Norman Ralph Thorpe 
(USAF Ret.), 87, of 
Birmingham, died on Jan. 24, 
2022. 
He was born in 1934 in 
Carlinville, Ill. In his early years, 
he was raised by his mother, 
Imogene Thorpe, and grand-
mother, Carrie Hayes. These 
strong women instilled in him 
an incredible work ethic and 
an appreciation of equality and 
fairness. Although the family 
was small and came from mod-
est means, Norm loved to share 
happy memories of growing up 
with them and his brother, Dr. 
Robert J Thorpe (“Jay”) and his 
pop, Red Thorpe. 
Norm was a lifelong learner. 
He attended the University of 
Illinois on an ROTC schol-
arship and, in 1956, received 
a bachelor of arts degree in 
economics with a minor in 
international affairs. In 1958, he 
graduated from the University 
of Illinois Law School and 
received a juris doctor degree. 
In 1967, he received a master of 
laws degree in international law 
from the George Washington 
University. Norm also attend-
ed The Hague Academy of 
International Law, Netherlands; 
Air Force Procurement School 
at Wright-Patterson Air Force 
Base; and the Northwestern 
University Law School course 
for prosecuting attorneys. 
Following law school, Norm 
was commissioned in the 
U.S. Air Force in 1956. First 
at Pepperell Air Force Base, 
Newfoundland, and later at 
Stewart Air Force Base, N.Y. 
This was the beginning of an 
incredible 30-year military 
career. From 1964 to 1966, 
he served in Ankara, Turkey, 
where he met his beloved 
Elaine Pritzman. Though both 
Norm and Elaine were from 
Illinois, they met in Turkey, 
where Elaine was stationed as 

a teacher for the Department 
of Defense Schools. From 
1969-72, he was detailed to 
the Department of State to 
serve as legal adviser for the 
U.S. Ambassador in Manila, 
Philippines. It was here that 
Sarah and Andrew Steven were 
born.
From 1972-76, Norm served 
as the chief of the Air Force’s 
International Law Division, 
based in Washington, D.C. 
Daughter Carrie joined the 
family on this assignment. 
From D.C., Norm, then a 
colonel, and family moved 
to McGuire AFB and on to 
Ramstein AFB, Germany. Now 
Brigadier General Norman 
Thorpe was the USAF Europe 
Staff Judge Advocate General, 
where his duties included, 
among other things, supervis-
ing military justice and other 
legal matters at 39 legal offices 
in 11 countries throughout 
Europe and exercising major 
responsibilities for the protec-
tion of U.S. service members 
under foreign criminal charges.
Norm’s final USAF assign-
ment was at Wright-Patterson 
AFB near Dayton, Ohio. He 
was the commander of the Air 
Force Contract Law Center and 
the staff judge advocate, Air 
Force Logistics Command. 
Although Norm retired 
from the USAF in 1988, he 
most certainly did not slow 
down. Norm served as a 
senior member of the GM 
legal staff for 18 years. While 
at GM, he handled the public 
contracts division and many 
international contracts for the 
company. During this time, he 
was active in the American Bar 
Associations International Law 
and Public Contracts Groups, 
serving as section chief for the 
latter. Norm’s passion and skill 
for international law took him 
to Prague where he helped to 
found the Central and Eastern 

European 
Law Institute 
or CEELI, 
immediately 
following 
the collapse 
of the Soviet 
Union. Norm 
represented 
the U.S. State 
Department 
International Law Division 
while sitting on the board at 
CEELI. 
At the CEELI Institute, he 
taught lawyers, judges and 
high court justices from former 
eastern bloc countries how to 
practice law in a constitutional 
democracy. He also assisted 
these fledgling democracies in 
drafting their own new consti-
tutions. 
Following his retirement 
from GM, he worked on the 
legal team at USCAR, a consor-
tium of the Big Three, working 
on hydrogen fuel-cell technolo-
gy. Additionally, USCAR creat-
ed a safe and legal environment 
for U.S. automakers to work 
together to address the increas-
ing demands of ever-changing 
environmental legislation. 
Norm’s passion for education 
and his storied career do not 
tell a complete picture of what 
an incredible man he was. He 
was an accomplished musician, 
playing clarinet in the Fighting 
Illini Marching Band, a concert 
pianist, and he sang in choirs 
for years.
He and Elaine loved to travel 
and cook together, and having 
children did not slow them 
down. Every opportunity was 
spent on road trips and adven-
tures. Together they traveled all 
over Europe, North America, 
the Middle East and Asia. 
Later, when Sarah and Carrie 
were older and living abroad 
with their own families, Norm 
and Elaine visited and traveled 
extensively in Brazil, China and 

Qatar. In every country where 
he lived or traveled, without fail 
Norm made dear friends. He 
never missed an opportunity to 
listen and learn and hear peo-
ple’s stories. 
Norm was an amazing family 
man and devoted husband. He 
is known to have said he not 
only had two daughters, but 
also two additional sons. He 
loved and cherished the time 
spent with his sons-in-law 
talking cars, sports and the 
politics of the day. Even with 
all of his incredible accom-
plishments, Norm’s greatest 
pride was spending time with 
his beloved grandchildren. 
berPoppy would take them to 
rehearsals, Scouts, practices and 
games, never wanting to miss 
an opportunity to tell a “Norm” 
story. And it wasn’t just his 
immediate family that benefited 
from the love and attention of 
this amazing man. Norm was 
a parent, adviser and friend to 
countless peers and young peo-
ple throughout Metro Detroit 
and the world. He was always 
available for whatever people 
needed, and he gave freely and 
generously of his knowledge 
gained in a life well lived. It is 
this giving spirit and wealth of 
knowledge that will live on in 
everyone who was blessed to 
have been touched by Norm. 
Interment was at Oakview 
Cemetery. Contributions 
may be made to Democracy 
Fund, 1200 17th St. NW
, Suite 
300, Washington, DC 20036, 
democracyfund.org; Detroit 
Symphony Orchestra, 3711 
Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 
48201-2444, dso.org; Michigan 
Opera Theater, 1526 Broadway, 
Detroit, MI 48226, michi-
ganopera.org; or Congregation 
Shir Tikvah, 3900 Northfield 
Pkwy., Troy, MI 48084, shirtik-
vah.org. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel. 

He Had a Passion for Law

Brig. Gen. 
Norman Thorpe

