Richard L. Worley
Richard Worley Obituary - Abilene, KS | Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home (martinbeckercarlson.com)
May 25, 1927 - July 20, 2021
Richard Louis Worley, 94, died Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at Village Manor in Abilene.
Born May 25, 1927, in Concordia, Kan., he was the son of Hugh and Millie (Daniel) Worley. He grew up on the farm in rural Formoso in Jewell County, attended a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Formoso High School. Even though he was valedictorian of his class, he did not attend graduation ceremonies because he had enlisted in the U.S. Navy and already was in boot camp, preparing to enter World War II when peace was declared.
He served on the troop ship the USS General J.C. Breckinridge in the Pacific Theatre following the end of World War II. He started officer training at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., but the end of World War II meant fewer officers were needed.
After being discharged from the Navy he attended and graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan where he obtained a degree from the college of agriculture. He made his career in ag lending and banking, primarily working for the Federal Land Bank Association of Wichita, serving as president of the Herington branch office which later was moved to Abilene in 1969.
After leaving the Federal Land Bank he obtained a realtor and broker's license and operated Worley Realty in Abilene in the 1980s. He then became a vice president at the Bank of Herington in 1984, before moving to Osborne where he and his wife Mary owned and operated Midland Business Products with stores in Osborne and Mankato. He also was a Xerox marketing representative.
After retirement he became an account representative for the Kansas Senior Times, a publication for older, active adults. In 2007, he and Mary moved back to Abilene where he shared his love of history by working for the Dickinson County Historical Society.
As a young man, flying was his passion so he earned his private pilot's license and eventually owned two planes. His favorite was a Cessna 140 taildragger.
In 1958, he married Mary Catherine Pfeifer in Ellis, Kansas. They had three children, Kathy, Dale and Daniel. Over the years, they made their home in Herington, Abilene and Osborne. Mary preceded him in death in November 2007.
Survivors include daughter Kathy Hageman (Gary) of Abilene; sons Dale Worley of Abilene and Daniel Worley (Lisette) of Osborne; grandchildren Josh Worley (Lindy) of Osborne, Sasha Schultze (Clayton) of Osborne, Julia Worley of Manhattan, Erik Hageman of Topeka, Kelsey (Andrew) Clarke of Beloit, Raegan (Phill) Shamburg of Salina and Madison (Bobby) Bliss of Downs; 11 great-grandchildren and another on the way.
Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service for Richard at 2 p.m. Friday, July 23, 2021, at Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home, 414 NW 3rd, Abilene. Cremation has taken place.
Memorials are suggested to the Dickinson County Historical Society or Hospice of Dickinson County and may be dropped off or sent to the funeral home.