In Memoriam

William R. Worthen '72 He believed one person can make a difference By Lois Shea '95G

Bill Worthen '72 was a political conservative who worked in the civil rights division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He was an avid scholar who could converse about everything from ancient Rome to the Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty—but who named his dogs Merri and Pippin after hobbits in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. He liked to listen to "Great Courses" lectures and the Rolling Stones. He liked to ask, "What evidence would change your mind?" "He was a seeker of truth and a seeker of expanded knowledge at all times," says his friend Steve Goldman.

Worthen's intellect and fierce love of dialogue engaged people. But he also had "a wonderful smile, and you didn't feel intimidated by him," says his wife, Penny. Tammy Moore, a close family friend, says, "I have known a lot of loving people and a lot of knowledgeable people, but never anyone who had it all together like Bill."

He got his start in conservative politics in Durham. At age 14, he went door-to-door for Barry Goldwater. At UNH, he majored in history and lived in the International House so he could learn about other cultures. In 1970, when campus strikes were closing down universities, Worthen chaired a committee to keep UNH open. "Bill really believed that one person can make a difference, and it was our individual responsibility to stand up for what we believe in," says Penny. UNH had a candlelight march and open workshops in lieu of some classes, but it did not shut down.

Worthen went to law school at Georgetown and was drafted into the Army in 1972. He worked as a defense attorney, as part of President Ford's general election campaign, and on President Reagan's transition team. "A white, politically conservative male, he was chosen to work in the civil rights division [of the Department of Justice] and he was very proud of that," Penny says, "because that really speaks to his integrity." He worked in employment litigation and then on the Americans with Disabilities Act. "Bill just really believed in equality for everybody," she adds.

Bill and Penny met while they were in high school. "He was totally committed to Penny and Penny to him," says the Worthens' pastor, David Morris. Worthen loved to celebrate. On his 55th birthday, he asked friends to come dressed as historical figures. Bill was Henry VIII; Penny, Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni tribe. At family gatherings, the Worthens' nieces and nephews used to team up to try to beat him at Risk. They never did.

After multiple surgeries for a brain tumor, Worthen retired from the Department of Justice in 2003. Even when he was very sick, he didn't complain, and asked after the welfare of friends. He died on Feb. 7 at the age of 61. "It was a great honor to know Bill," Goldman says. "He taught me how to live a better life."

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