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September 10, 2003
To the Editor:
While I was not a close friend of Jim Wortham, I know that he
was a great person. I first met Jim almost 8 years ago when I
reluctantly took the job of Rattlesnake Queen Pageant Chairman
for the Jaycees for the ’96 Roundup. It was then I learned of
the very dedicated group of individuals, that are not Jaycees,
headed by Larry Ludlum, who work in the City Auditorium. These
folks would start working on the stage, lighting, and sound in
the auditorium nightly for 2-3 weeks before the pageant, getting
the auditorium ready for the Jaycees’ pageant. Jim Wortham was
one of that crew. Along with the others, he worked from the
time he got off work at Ludlum’s until anywhere from 1o p.m. to
midnight getting things in order at the auditorium. (And I am
sure they do this for every event held in the auditorium!!) It
was mainly because of this group and the Pageant Committee that
I continued chairing the pageant for 7 years.
While Jim was not a person to be in the limelight, he was a
community leader here in Sweetwater. His accomplishments were
many, and if you noticed, they were often as someone in the
background. Not only has the Wortham family lost a great
individual, but Ludlum’s, the Auditorium, the Jaycees, and the
community of Sweetwater, have lost a great leader and
supporter. While I no longer will be the chairman of the
Jaycees’ Queen Pageant, you can believe that Jim Wortham will be
remembered by the Sweetwater Jaycees Queen Pageant in ’04!! Jim
will be missed by all those whose life he touched.
Rick Nelson
1st Vice President
Sweetwater Jaycees
Past Queen Pageant Chairman
January 13, 2004
To the Editor:
I read the Sweetwater Reporter every day via the Internet. I
really do like to keep up with my home town. I haven’t lived
there in a long time, but I still like to keep up.
The Jim Wortham fund that has been set up for the auditorium has
restored my faith in Sweetwater and its need to hang on to its
roots.
Jim and I grew up together. He was someone to be admired, even
in elementary school all the way up to today. He always had his
head on straight and always had goals sometimes set way above
what any of his fellow classmates would even consider dreaming.
But, Jim did it. He did a great deal for the community of
Sweetwater with little need to be recognized. Sometimes he
really didn’t want the attention. He wanted action.
The last time Jim and I spoke, he was so fired up about a
project and he could speak of nothing else. He always threw his
heart and soul into whatever it was he had going on.
So, thank you Sweetwater for recognizing a very wonderful person
that I have admired my entire life. Keep his spirit and
passions alive. My hat is off to you.
Teresa Smallwood
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