|
Kenneth Eldon Worthington died Thursday morning, September 13, at his
home. He was born on September 18, 1930, in Longdale, Oklahoma to Joseph
Clarence Worthington and Helen Cross Worthington.
He spent his youth in Oklahoma and in Kansas, where he graduated from
Girard (KS) High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force and then entered
Pittsburg State University where he received a Bachelor of Science
degree. His career was spent in the aerospace industry working for Boeing
Company, where he helped develop the Saturn V Stage I Booster Rocket
which was used to launch the manned Apollo missions. He worked for
Chrysler and later Martin Marietta Corporation (now Lockheed Martin)
where he helped to develop the external tank for the Space Shuttle.
Ken was active in his community while living in Slidell, Louisiana, where
he served as president of Slidell Little Theatre and won three acting
awards and two directing awards. He also helped found the Slidell Art
Association.
In Lexington he planned and organized planting of the downtown Lexington
flower barrels; he was instrumental in obtaining the period benches and
trash containers downtown, as well as the period streetlights. He was
chairman of the Lexington Pride program which offers low-interest loans
to refurbish facades on downtown buildings. He served as President of the
Lexington Parks & Recreation board; was a member of Lexington United
Methodist Church, a past president of the Anderson House Foundation and
the Lexington Community Betterment Association. He served on the board of
directors of Boatmen’s Bank, Lexington Chamber of Commerce,
Machpelah Cemetery Board, and was a member of Lexington Rotary Club,
Lexington Methodist Men, and Lexington Historical Association. He
reorganized and obtained a new charter for the Lafayette County Red Cross
Chapter, and was chosen Chapter Manager of the Year for the state of
Missouri by the American Red Cross in 1993. He was a charter member of
the Live In Lexington Concert Series, and a member of the American Legion Post 60.
He is survived by his wife Susan Shea Worthington; three sons: Gregory
Joseph Worthington, Bradley Daniel Worthington and wife Tami, Paul Riley
Worthington and wife Laura; one daughter: Roberta Kena Fanoele and
husband Mark; two stepchildren: Sheila Shea Chimento and husband Jim and
Dennis Kendall Hinman and wife Lorrie. He is also survived by 12
grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, five
step-great-grandchildren and a brother George William Cross and wife Kay.
|