Marjorie H. Thorpe was born May 2, 1898 in Syracuse, New York, the daughter of Emma Mattison and George E. Thorpe, a prominent druggist in the area. As an only child, she was encouraged to follow her interests, which developed into a life-long passion for botany, equal and environmental rights, writing, and books. She was known to be a profoundly giving and supportive member of the community, especially to those she considered close friends and associates, and her generosity reached anyone whose problems touched her heart and mind.

Thorpe received a Bachelor's degree in education from Syracuse University in 1919, which she used to teach French and English. Being a life-long student, she went on to get her Master's degree in Library Science in 1929, also from Syracuse University, where she began working after graduation. Her ability to guide people to ask questions and expand their horizons, as well as her expansive knowledge of books in general, earned a great amount of respect from her colleagues and students. Thorpe was a librarian for Syracuse University and the Christian Brothers Academy from 1929 to 1945 and continued her career at the Syracuse Public Library from 1948 to 1960. In 1962, she began working at Mohawk Valley Community College, until her retirement in 1968. In 1982, she was honored with the title, professor emerita, for her outstanding service to the college.

Thorpe's interests led her to be heavily involved with her community, devoting her time and effort to numerous clubs and associations. She was considered an accomplished poet and writer, being published in a few collections and a member of the Poetry Group of Utica. Thorpe was a founding member of the Syracuse Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, a Quaker denomination, where she stayed an active member the rest of her life. Heavily interested in equal rights, she kept connected to many different women's interests groups, such as the American Association of University Women and the Girl Reserves, and was a voice for racial equality in the 1950s in and around Syracuse.

Thorpe's knowledge of botany, including common and Latin names for many plants, was a boon to the Syracuse Rose Society, where both she and her father were members. They helped build and sustain the Rose Garden in Thornden Park and were awarded by the American Rose Society. Thorpe also was known to lead nature walks in the Adirondacks, where she was imminently comfortable.

With her passing on September 3, 1989, Thorpe was remembered fondly by those she helped and the communities she connected with over her many years of selfless work and care.