- Date Of Birth: November 22, 1946
- Date Of Death: January 3, 2013
- State: Georgia
Frederic Paine Worthen, Jr., 66, of Newnan, Georgia, died January 3, 2013, after suffering from acute interstitial pneumonia during the last month. Born November 22, 1946 in Hartford, Connecticut, to Frederic Paine and Helen Farnsworth (Beda) Worthen, Ricky’s father, Fred, worked for Standard Oil of New Jersey, which involved a peripatetic lifestyle for the family during their South American years in Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aries, Argentina.
In the mid-fifties, the family moved to Andover, Massachusetts, when his father purchased Farnsworth Industries from his father-in-law, Charles Edward Farnsworth, the beginning of Worthen Industries, which has grown to presently include fourteen business units.
Ricky attended The Pike School in Andover until seventh grade as he transferred and graduated from Cardigan Mountain. He then entered Kimball Union Academy where he played varsity football and was a member of the swim and lacrosse teams. The University of South Carolina awarded Ricky a swimming scholarship as well as an offer to play football under Paul Dietzel. Around this time, he met a former Pike classmate, Nancy Schofield McArdle, whom he married June 28th, 1969.
Since Ricky was in the Naval Reserves, he and Nancy moved to Virginia Beach where he completed his service in 1970 and enrolled at the University of Hartford. The college necessitated a move to the family farm in Granby, Connecticut, which Nancy and Ricky enjoyed immensely. To the family’s delight, they moved back to Andover in 1972; and Ricky began working for Worthen Industries. Frederic Paine Worthen III (Eric) was born in 1973, followed by Sarah Mills (Cricket) Worthen in 1976.
In 1978, construction began on Nylco Corporation, a division of Worthen Industries; Fred Worthen asked Ricky to move to Newnan to oversee the construction and subsequently manage the plant. Aided by the late M. F. (Matt) Cole, the Worthens were made to feel at home even before their arrival. Quickly, Nancy and Ricky became the subject of, “Have you met the Yankees who moved it town?”
The challenge of Southern living was readily accepted and the adjustment a joyous one in view of their ready inclusion into the community. The Worthens reared Eric and Cricket in Newnan’s small town atmosphere where parents and children enjoyed delightful friends. Ricky’s retirement from Worthen Industries came in April of this year.
Ricky had no trouble adjusting to a fulfilling life outside the family business. Always involved in mechanical interests, Ricky took those talents and aided the needs of his friends from repairing Gaston Green’s yard equipment to household projects for Parnell Odom and Amelia Adams. However, his greatest joy came in enjoying his grandchildren, Isabell Corrine Harter (Izzy), 6, and John Brewington Harter, Jr. (Brew), 5.
Ricky is survived by his wife Nancy, son Eric of North Andover, Massachusetts, and daughter Cricket, son-in-law John B. Harter, Izzy and Brew Harter of Beaufort, South Carolina, as well as Theresa Pritchett, his housekeeper and very good friend of 30 years, and his beloved Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Auskie.
