Pat Thorpe

Pat was born in Sacramento California.  Her parents were sharecroppers from Colorado--her father who was picking hops and her mother picking apricots.  They were so poor they were living in a car.  Pat has one brother and one sister.  She could read and play the violin before starting kindergarten--and has always been an avid reader.  They moved around in the early years from Napa, Sonoma and Vallejo finally settling in Compton (near Watts in LA) where Pat graduated from High School.  In her high school years she was senior class treasurer, involved in oratory and even attended a state competition.

   She attended USC majoring in social studies with a minor in English.  During her college years she attended the democratic convention when John F. Kennedy was nominated and snuck in so she could hear him speak. She also received a MS in Secondary education.  She taught in Torrance, Oakland and Livermore California and even in Pensacola Florida until she had to leave because she was pregnant.  Pat has 2 children, a son and a daughter and 3 grandchildren, 1 boy and 2 girls.

Since 1980, Pat has been working as a financial consultant.  In her early years she suspected her boss was pocketing money illegally and she turned him in to the county prosecutor and he was convicted of running a Ponzie scheme.  Pat has a passion for community involvement and has served on the Seattle Economic development board and was the first woman on the Renton City Planning commission. She was elected to the Renton City Council in 1975.  She also served a year on the King County Council. 

Pat was one of the first women to be invited into Rotary (1988) and has been president and served on the board for many terms.