Thomas Henry Wortham

Thomas Henry Wortham, M.D. was born January 12, 1927 in Waldo, Arkansas to Daisy Nell Alsobrook Wortham and Marvin Winston Wortham. Dr. Wortham died on January 20, 2015. He was lovingly referred to as "Boss" by many. Dr. Wortham graduated from Magnolia High where he met his future wife, Betty Jean Moore. He served in the U.S. Navy from1944-1946 as a corpsman. After the war ended, he hitchhiked to Fayetteville from Little Rock to begin college. He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1951, then received his M.D. in 1953 from UAMS, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He also was awarded the Faculty Key as the outstanding student for four years of medical school and received the Joseph Roberts Award as the Outstanding Scholar for the four years of medical school. Tom and Betty were married in 1953 and moved to St. Louis, Missouri to start Tom's residency. Upon its completion, they settled in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Dr. Wortham helped expand medical and other community services to meet the demand after the opening of the Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville. He ran a thriving family practice clinic for 43 years. He rallied community support for funding of a hospital and then helped establish Rebsamen Medical Center. He served in many capacities at Rebsamen before retiring as Vice-President in 1999. Dr. Wortham helped develop the coronary care unit at Rebsamen, as well as one of the first paramedic ambulance services. As a member of the Board of Corrections for ten years, he was a catalyst for major improvements in prison healthcare. He also served on many UAMS boards and committees and volunteered as a clinical preceptor for the College of Medicine residents and students, as well as the UAMS Family Medical Clinic. He was an avid Razorback fan and a scholarship donor. He was also a pilot, flying his family to many destinations, and was a member of the Flying Physicians Association. He also performed FAA physicals for 35 years. Dr. Wortham was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Dr. James T. Wortham, sister, Mary Patricia Parrish, his wife of 56 years, Betty Jean Moore Wortham in 2009, and his son, Thomas in 2001. He is survived by his son, Clay Alan; daughter, Jan Ellen; grandchildren, Thomas Seth Wortham and Corissa Withrow Wortham; special friend, Mary Ann Moore; and a host of other family and friends. Special thanks to Hospice Home Care and Dr. K. Morgan Sauer who took excellent care of Tom in his final days. There will be a visitation Friday, January 23, 2015 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church at 4501 Rahling Road in Little Rock. A memorial service will be at the same church at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, 2015. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Trinity Presbyterian or the favorite charity of the donor. Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., Little Rock, (501) 224-2200. Dr. Wortham's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.