North Lawndale coach ‘a leader of men’
North Lawndale basketball coach Lewis Thorpe died unexpectedly on Wednesday.
“He didn’t have any health issues recently,” Thorpe’s son Stephen said. “He passed away in his sleep. He just didn’t wake up this morning.”
Thorpe’s kind, classy approach to life led to universal admiration throughout the hyper-competitive local basketball scene.
“I’ll remember Lewis Thorpe as a great person, not just a great coach,” Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said. “He always gave me good, sound advice on coaching — and life in general. He was very tight with my father, and when I became a coach, he took me under his wing. “He was a special man.” Thorpe, 56, led the Phoenix to four consecutive state appearances from 2006-2009. North Lawndale won the Class 2A title in 2008, finished second in Class A in 2007 and third in Class 3A in 2009. He led the Phoenix to the city title in 2009.
North Lawndale assistant coach Randy Stonewall was with him on Wednesday night.
“There was no illness to my knowledge,” Stonewall said. “We had an open-gym run last night, college coaches were in. I’m blindsided. It’s a tremendous loss to the community. He was a pillar at North Lawndale, the face of the school. He was a father to all of us.”
Thorpe is survived by Patricia, his wife of 28 years, and five children, Keone, Stephen, Brandon, Jada and Jalen.
Thorpe coached all three of his sons at North Lawndale. Jalen is currently a senior. Jada is a standout basketball player at Simeon who has committed to Kansas State.
“We have to finish the year off strong and play hard for him,” Jalen Thorpe said.
Bill Curry of Breakthrough says that Thorpe was mentoring kids on Wednesday night as well.
“It’s a program that focused on 8th to 10th grade boys, most who aren’t hoopers,” Curry said. “He didn’t limit himself to influencing players. Invested in young men
down to his last night with us.”
Thorpe was an assistant coach at Providence-St. Mel and Hales before arriving at North Lawndale in 2000. He also ran a prominent all-star game featuring young players for several years.
“Far more than a leader, teacher and coach, Thorpe was a pillar and a father to our family,” Garland Thomas-McDavid, North Lawndale’s president, said in a statement. “We grieve this heavy loss of our dear friend and colleague.”
Thorpe spent one year as head coach at Cregier, a now-closed Public League school, and one year at St. Gregory.
“Thorpe was an inspiration to me as a leader of men,” Joliet Central coach Larry Thompson said.
“He will be truly missed.”