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FARMINGTON- Paul Lebbeus Worthley, 92, of Strong, died Saturday August 21, 2010 at the Edgewood Nursing Home in Farmington after a short illness. He enjoyed a full independent life maintaining his home, garden, journals, correspondence and woodpile until this past week.
He was born in Strong Maine, August 31, 1917 , the third child of Ralph L.
Worthley and Ida Allen Worthley. His older siblings were Carl Worthley and Beulah Worthley Hoepner. He graduated from Strong High School and worked for Central Maine Power Company, joining the Army in March of 1941. He attended Tank Destroyer Officer’s Candidate School, Camp Hood, Texas and served in France and Germany during WWII. Following the war, he served three years stationed on the Panama Canal. Returning to the USA in 1951, he was assigned to the Army Security Agency (ASA), an intelligence gathering organization.
He served a tour on the G# Staff at ASA Headquarters, in Arlington, VA and during the summer of 1954 drove up the ALCAN Highway to Alaska, serving a year with the Eskimos at Gambell, ST. Lawrence Island in the Bering Straight. Later he served 15 months as a civilian for the Department of state based at Nicosia Cyprus. His final overseas assignment was as a Senior Army Commander on the Island of Taiwan. He was retired from the Army in December of 1962 as a Lt. Colonel USAR.
In 1961 Paul bought a new airstream Travel Trailer and joined the Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI). He progressed up through the Unit and Region Offices and served as a Trustee of the club. He helped organize and served as chairman of the Caravan Committee. He was a member of the International Relations Committee which arranges For WBCCI caravans going overseas and assists foreign caravans while traveling in the USA and Canada. He is a Past President and Office holder of the WBCCI. Paul Hosted and led WBCCI airstream Caravans locally, nationally and overseas.
Paul loved to travel, looking forward to his annual Canadian fishing trip, freighter cruises, cruises with family and friends, sugaring off parties and took pictures of it all as he enjoyed a lifetime of photography. His journals and notebooks provided the grist for his Annual Report – a letter of his activities mailed to his friends all over the world.
He was also a supportive member of the Johnson Cox American Legion Post in Strong.
Paul is survived by his niece Carla Hoepner Richards of Strong; his great grand nephew Rand Richards and his wife Cindy of Strong and their children Eric and Amanda Richards, and his grand niece Ida Anderson Norris and her husband Mark Norris of Farmington and their children Thomas Anderson, Heman Norris and Gail Norris.
Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with his family at www.wilesrc.com. Funeral services will be held, 11AM, Wed., Aug. 25, 2010 at the Strong United Methodist Church in Strong. Interment with military honors will be at the Strong Village Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to call 6-8 PM, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010 at the Wiles Funeral Home Cremation Service & Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington.
