Andrew Carl Thorsten

Andrew Carl Thorsten, age 94, of Peabody passed away peacefully at his home early Christmas morning.  He was the husband of the late Mary (Carney) Thorsten, with whom he shared 62 years of marriage. 

Known to friends as Carl, he was born in Winslow, WA in 1927, the only child of Andrew and Sophia F. (Brugger) Thorsten.  He grew up and attended school on Bainbridge Island, WA where he excelled in both academics and athletics.  He enlisted in the Navy following his graduation in 1945, serving as an Electronics Technician First Class.

Carl took advantage of the GI Bill to obtain his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington.  He was a member of several academic honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa.  While at U-Dub he met fellow student Mary Carney.  They were married in 1950. 

While working at Esso as a Chemical Engineer in the 1960s, Carl studied for his Master’s Degree at the Newark College of Engineering (now part of NJIT).  His thesis became the subject of a patent filing and he was not able to submit the work.  U.S. Patent #3,262,278 Increased Ethylene Recovery by Ethane Addition was filed August 19, 1963 and granted July 26, 1966.  After he related the story to his daughter Carol, she contacted NJIT.  Carl was granted his Master of Science in Chemical Engineering in May 2018 at the age of 90.

Carl’s work with Esso led to a career in computer science and executive management which took the family from New Jersey to homes in Venezuela and England.  He traveled extensively for business, taking his wife along to Vienna, Rome, Norway, and Paris among other destinations.  The family returned to New Jersey after Carl’s retirement and he began a second career as a top tax preparer and instructor for H.R. Block.  He finally retired for good when he and his wife moved to Brooksby Village in Peabody, MA.

Outside of work, Carl’s interests included sports of all kinds and crossword puzzles.  In his prime, he often completed the New York Times Sunday puzzle in 20 minutes.  In ink.

Carl is survived by his daughters Carol Thorsten-Stein of Nahant MA and Cheryl M. Vogel of Gettysburg PA; and grandchildren Andrew Carl Thorsten, III of Frasier CO, Charles Vogel of Pittsburgh PA, Anne Vogel of Gettysburg PA, and Kevin Stein of Nahant MA.  He is predeceased by his daughter Casey Bilouris.

The family will hold a small, private gathering for Carl at a later date.  Donations in his name can be made to the All Care Hospice of Lynn, who provided comfort and care in his final days.

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