Carol Starke Thorup

Carol Jane Lindsey Starke Thorup, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on February 7, 2026. She was born in New Rockford, North Dakota on December 25, 1929 to the late Horton Everett and Alpha Beryl (Lindsey) Starke. She was preceded in death by her brother William H. Starke, her former husbands Clifford A. Thorup and Roger Buterbaugh, and son-in-law Robert W. Battle, Jr.

Carol led an extraordinary life, having been born and raised on a North Dakota farm during the depression Dust Bowl years. Educated in a one-room school house, she went on to become one of the first women executives in the international commercial nuclear power industry. From trapping gophers for pocket money, to negotiating mega deals in Japan and Spain, she became known as The Dragon Lady. At the end of her illustrious career she was inducted into New York Nuclear Corporation’s Uranium Hall of Fame for her numerous contributions to the industry. Not done yet, her next chapter was to assist Eva Galambos in writing the Request for Proposal to create the city of Sandy Springs; she also evaluated all the proposals, negotiated the contract, and was an officer in the Committee for Sandy Springs.

She was a 60-year member of the 157-year old women’s organization P.E.O., having filled many officer roles during that time in chapters in Bismark, ND, West Hartford, CT, and Atlanta, GA; a member of St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church; a long-time supporter of the St. Joseph’s Indian School; and as a two-time cancer survivor, dedicated contributor to the American Cancer Society.

She is survived in death by her daughter Rebecca Thorup Battle (Robert, deceased) and son William Thorup (Shari). She leaves five (5) heartbroken grandchildren, Lindsey Battle Conway (Matt), Adam Thorup, Jamie Thorup Hughes (BJ), Cary Thorup (Amy), Michael Thorup (Ashley), along with 6 great-grand children: Declan and Lincoln Conway, Liam and Maisy Thorup, and Luca June and Wesley Thorup, plus 2 step-grandsons Erik and Brandon Black.

A celebration of her life will be held April 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody, Georgia with a small family graveside service at the Prairie Home Cemetery in New Rockford, North Dakota during the summer 2026.