Passing of Iowa Farmer, Richard B. Wormley (1918-1999)        

Richard B. Wormley, 80, died peacefully, January 18, 1999, at Skiff Memorial Hospital in Newton from multiple cancers discovered just days earlier. In his last few days, unable to talk, he joined in singing as his family members sang and made him an integral part of their activities which centered around him.

Mr. Wormley's father and mother were David Fredrick Wormley (1883-1958) and Leona Benjamin Wormley (1884-1959). He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Helen (McClean) Wormley, their son, Sam Wormley (1944-- Iowa State University, Ames, IA), their daughter, Kathy Siemsen (1946-- elementary teacher, Fairfield, IA) and their son, Jim Wormley (1954-- Progress Industries, Newton, IA) and four grown grand children.

There were five brothers and sisters in his family; Samuel Stuart Wormley (1909-1998) in Chicago, Josephine Wormley Yoder (1910--2005) in Milwalkee, James D. Wormley (1912--2001) in Phoenix; Jack M. Wormley (1914--) in Newton, and Richard B. Wormley (1918-1999) born in the family farm house built the same year and skirted by a tornado just after its concrete foundation had been poured.

Mr. Wormley attended Iowa State College in the fall of 1936, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Two years later he returned to the family farm two miles north of Newton. From his training at Iowa State, Mr. Wormley was always able to repair and redesign his own farm tractors and implements. He often worked with his brother Jim (John Deere, Inc. and Oliver Corp.) in testing new farm equipment designs. He had a real advantage in farming, in that he could overhaul tractor engines and kept equipment working decade after decade, modifying to keep up with the times.

His involvement in community life included the Hammer School PTA, Joe Berg Science Foundation, Elks, Farm Bureau, 4-H, the Hospital Auxiliary and the Flying Farmers of America. He sang in numerous choirs, quartets, church choir and the Newton-based "Song Stylists" where he met his wife of 57 years, Helen McClean.

He farmed the 240 acres pretty much by himself. Within a few years after his son, Sam, went off to school at Iowa State University in 1962, Mr. Wormley sold the 20-cow Grade-A dairy operation, switching to all grain. Before the dairy herd was sold, Sam would come home during quarter breaks and summers to help with the farm. Between them, they covered the white-washed walls of the cow barn with calculus equations and problems, Mr. Wormley, relearning as his son was learning.

This last year (1998), with four days harvest left of soy beans, Mr. Wormley decided to retire due to poor eye sight. He has contracted with a neighbor, Mr. Bob Bleakney, to continue the farm operation from this point on into the future. Mr. Wormley was particularly pleased with this arrangement as the Mr. Bleakney uses no-till (nondestructive in terms of soil erosion) equipment and shares his own philosophy of care for the land.

Mr. Wormley's children often cracked the joke that their dad, a farmer, was outstanding in his field. And to many he was outstanding.

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