Retired UND Police Officer passes away after cancer battle

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) - The University of North Dakota Police Department says a retired Police Lieutenant has died after battling cancer.

The UND Police Department says Mark dedicated his life to service and family. He is a veteran of the U.S. Military who served over 20 years in both active military and reserve duty before retiring with the rank of Staff Sergeant in 2009. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 98 in Langdon, ND.

Mark proudly served the UND community for 20 years as a police officer until being medically retired from the force in 2022.

“Mark was the proudest husband and father you could have known,” the department posted on social media. “The UND Police Department would like to thank everyone for the abundance of prayers and support for the Mark’s family during this fight. We ask for continued prayers for the Thorpe family and the UND Police Department family during this time.”

Thorpe was 54 years old and leaves behind a wife and four children.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 21, in the Historic Norman Funeral Home Chapel of Grand Forks, ND. Visitation is one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Saturday.

Police officers of the University of North Dakota Police Department and the Grand Forks Police Department will represent the Police Honor Guard. Military Honors will be accorded by members of the American Legion Post 157, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3817, and the North Dakota Army National Guard.