Samuel Harvey WORTHINGTON and Mary Catherine WARIN were married November 6, 1895 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Maloy. The priest presiding was Father BULGER. Their first residence was north of Maloy on a farm. James Francis, born September 5, 1896 and Margaret Mary, born July 15, 1899, completed their family.

Later they moved to a farm owned by Frank and Mary WARIN, parents of Mrs. WORTHINGTON. A sister joined the family, Helen Marie, born February 21, 1901, but she passed away at a very young age.

Sam and Mary WORTHINGTON purchased a farm west and north of Maloy, which is now owned by the WHEELEN Estate.

James and Loretta MIX were married January 5, 1920 at the Maloy church. They made their home in the vicinity where he was engaged in farming. They were the parents of a son who survived only two hours. They adopted a son from the Christ Child Home in Des Moines. He was christened James LaVerne. His birthday was March 1, 1925. His mother, Loretta, passed away in 1934 after a lingering illness. LaVerne was cared for by his grandmother, Mary WORTHINGTON, in her home where he and his father also lived.

James remarried September 3, 1937 to Ruby LYNCH. James and Ruby continued to make their home with Sam and Mary.

Mary WORTHINGTON passed away at Mercy Hospital in St. Joseph [MO] after a long illness. Sam died in his later years at a local nursing home near Mount Ayr where he was confined.

NOTES: Samuel H. WORTHINGTON, son of Vincent and Hannah (HARTLEY) WORTHINGTON, was born in 1871, and died in 1962. Mary Catherine (WARIN) WORTHINGTON was the daughter of Francis Joseph "Frank" and Mary Justine WARIN. She was born in Ohio in 1868, and died in 1945. Hellen Marie WORTHINGTON was born in 1902, and died at the age of five years on July 16, 1907. They were interred at St. Mary's Cemetery near Maloy.

Margaret WORTHINGTON and James BOPP were united in marriage on June 5, 1942. She was a supervisors at Thompson Beauty School in Des Moines. James, a major in the Army, was stationed at Fort Des Moines in the service. They spent a portion of their married life in California and later purchased a home known as the Tom SHAY residence in Maloy after retiring. Later they moved to an apartment in Mount Ayr where they lived until James' health required nursing home care. He entered the Clearview Nursing Home and remained there until his death July 26, 1982. Margaret entered the Clearview Home in Mount Ayr after hip surgery when she was unable to maintain her household. Margaret remains [1987] a resident in a private room at the age of 88.

NOTES: James Francis BOPP was born in 1907, and died in 1982. He was a World War II Veteran. Margaret (WORTHINGTON) BOPP was born in 1899, and died in 1997. They were interred at St. Mary's Cemetery near Maloy.

Jim and Ruby were the parents of ten children, seven living and three deceased. Edward Leo, aged 46, and Dennis Dee, age 34, live at home with their mother. John Thomas, born in 1943, is married to Janice CAVENDER and lives in Oklahoma. John is the father of four children by a previous marriage. Delbert Samuel and Patsy HARDY LYNCH live in Grant City where they have a business. Jim Dean, born in 1946, married Connie FLETCHALL. They and their sons, Doug and Greg, live in Des Moines where Jim is in his 22nd years of employement with Meredith Publishing. Bobby Allen works at Mount Ayr Products and is married to Arlene RICHMAN. He has three children by a previous marriage. Debra Kay lives next door to mom with her husband Robert MATHANY and son Wes and daughters Yolanda and Lydie KELLEY. Robert is a Farm Bureau Insurance salesman.

NOTES: James Francis "Jim" WORTHINGTON was born in Maloy on September 5, 1896, and died at the age of 59 years on December 5, 1956, Maloy.

James married first Loretto MIX, the daughter of Wilder P. and Mary J. MIX. She was born in Taylor County, Iowa in October of 1900, and died in 1934.

James married second Ruby Irene LYNCH, the daughter of Bert and Lydia (OSBORN) LYNCH. Ruby was born in Harrison County, Missouri on March 31, 1916, and died at the age of 87 years on July 3, 2003.

Helen Marie WORTHINGTON, daughter of Jim and Ruby, was born in 1940, and died in 1942.

Judy Irene WORTHINGTON, daughter of Jim and Ruby, was born in 1943, and died in 1952, Mount Ayr.

Galen L. WORTHINGTON, son of Jim and Ruby, was born March 2, 1948, and died October 8, 1965.

They were interred at St. Mary's Cemetery near Maloy.

James LaVerne WORTHINGTON and Helen Maxine WHEELEN, daughter of Grace HARSH WHEELEN and Chester A[rthur]. WHEELEN (deceased), were married February 15, 1947 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Maloy. Their first child, Estella Marie, was stillborn. Linda Louise, adopted daughter, joined the family July 10, 1949. She was chosen by her parents at the Christ Child Home in Des Moines. She was the first child adopted by a returning adoptee from the home. The second child adopted by LaVerne and Maxine from the Christ Child Home was Stephen Eugene, whose birthdate is August 31, 1954. Loretta Sue was born May 1, 1954. All three children were raised in the Maloy vicinity, where their parents were engaged in farming.

They moved to Mount Ayr in 1961 where LaVerne was employed as deputy sheriff of Ringgold County. He continues [1987] to work in this capacity marking January 1, 1987 the date he will have served 25 years in law enforcement. His plans are to retire March, 1, 1987 at age 62.

WORTHINGTONS have been a part of the Maloy vicinity for a long period of time. Even though none of the family lives in the area at this time, they have always been proud to be a part of the community, at least for a portion of their lives.

SOURCE: Maloy, Iowa Centennial History: 1887 - 1987 Pp. 198-99.

Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library

Transcription and Notes by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011