Obituaries

George Gordon Worthen

Photo of George Gordon Worthen
George Gordon Worthen passed away at home on June 9, 2013. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 24, 1942. He is survived by his wife, Sherry, and their daughters Emilie Partis (Michael) and Ellen Worthen. Other surviving family members are his mother, Mary Fletcher Worthen, his brothers, Tom Worthen (Amy) and Bill Worthen (Kathy) and their families. George received his early education in Little Rock but attended high school as a boarding student at Battle Ground Academy in Tennessee. He went on to receive a degree in Economics and Business Administration from Davidson College in North Carolina. He earned his MBA at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and was also a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University and of the National Commercial Lending Graduate School at the University of Oklahoma. After receiving his MBA, George entered the Army and served at Fort Monroe, Virginia. While he served there as a young finance officer, he met Sherry and they were married at the Chapel of the Centurion by the same priest who baptized him. They made their home in Little Rock after the conclusion of George's military service as a Captain and he worked as a banker. In his early career George was an executive officer at one of the largest banks in the state, while later he focussed on community banking and continued to work at the Bank of Little Rock until shortly before his death. He loved that banking gave him a look at the inner workings of many different businesses. George was always very community oriented and believed in giving back. Soon after returning to Little Rock, he became involved in organizations that developed the residential areas of downtown such as the Quapaw Quarter Association, the Little Rock Historic District Commission, Neighborhood Housing Services and a private company which bought, renovated and sold houses in the downtown area. He was a long serving member of the American Heart Association, the Arkansas Nurses Association, the Donaghey Foundation, the Rotary Club, the 99 Foundation and the Mount Saint Mary Academy Foundation Board of Trustees. His passion for volunteerism resulted in him serving in leadership positions for many of these organizations. He was also active with professional organizations. He was a founding member of the local chapter of the Robert Morris Association, a trustee of the Barrett School of Banking in Memphis and recently served as the President of the Arkansas Community Bankers Association. George believed in serving causes that benefitted the community at large. He was associated with the Centers for Youth and Families and with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra for many years because of that belief. George and Sherry have been intrepid travelers throughout their lives, relishing the opportunity to explore different countries and cultures as well as much of the United States. He was also involved in horseback riding with his daughters through their childhood and rode with the Ferndale Hunt Club for several years. A funeral service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral on Wednesday, June 12 at 11 o'clock in the morning with the Reverend R. Ewing Jackson and Rev. Paul McLain officiating, followed by the burial at Mount Holly Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Centers for Youth and Families or to the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Please donate to the Centers at P.O. Box 251970, Little Rock, Ark. 72225 or at http://centersforyouthandfamilies.org/. Please donate to the Symphony at P.O. Box 7328, Little Rock, Ark. 72217 or at http:/www.arkansassymphony.org. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.

Published June 11, 2013

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