Ira "Gene" Worrell

Gene Worrell crossed the gangplank to heaven on May 15, 2019 after spending almost 85 years amongst us. What a life! It’s hard to imagine that a kid born in modest, humble beginnings would have so many achievements in his life.

Childhood

Let’s get this straight because today when I say modest humble beginnings it means no X-Box or cellphone. Gene Worrell was born in Pickens, Arkansas the second of 7 children to Roy and Cleda Worrell. He grew up in a “shotgun house” with no running water, a floor that their mom could throw a bucket of water on and it would drain through the floorboards. He grew up picking cotton as a sharecropper, shooting squirrels for food and carousing with his siblings. Picking cotton as a child and peeing on it to increase the weight are truly things that many of us cannot comprehend. As a child he suffered an accident with a planer and lost half of his thumb that was always referred to as the stub. His brother Bill so admired Gene that he wanted his thumb cut off. So, Gene obliged and had Bill place his thumb on a chopping block and he cut the tip of Bill’s thumb off. Needless to say, Grandma was not happy but that shows the admiration many had on Gene. With no X-Box, baseballs or toys, fun was found by riding a horse through the house and jumping it off the back porch, getting in tires rolling down hills and firearms. Pretty amazing that he survived childhood. He went to school when time allowed but left home at 12 years old. During his trek to Oak Ridge, TN he was found on the street in Nashville and spent the night in jail to get him off the street. As a boy he hitchhiked back and forth to see his brothers.

Navy

At 17 with a junior high school education, he joined the Navy and found his calling. He flourished in this environment advancing through the ranks. He had the rare opportunity to serve on the same ship as two of his brothers. I can’t imagine the trouble the Worrell boys caused. He landed boats in the Korean War, served on an air rescue boat as boat captain in Japan, was part of the humanitarian efforts in North Vietnam and did four wartime tours in Vietnam. After Vietnam, he came back to the states and served at several duty stations. One station was on one of the recovery ships for Apollo 7. What is truly amazing is this poor kid from Arkansas that left home at 12 became a “Mustang” coming “Up Through the Hawespipe”. For the non-Navy that means he started at the bottom and worked his way through the ranks from seaman, Petty Officer, Chief, Chief Warrant Officer, Lieutenant Junior Grade and Lieutenant. For those of you that are paying attention he skipped Ensign. He refused to be an Ensign and the suffering associated with being lumped in with the college boys. In the navy, Mustangs are the most highly respected of the officers and my dad was one of that rare breed. I spoke to one of his shipmates that recalled my dad’s commitment to duty. Line officers are responsible for the safe operation of the ship when the Captain is not on deck. His buddy the “Ship’s Doc” had access to the medicinal alcohol on the ship. This brandy had been on the ship since it was commissioned in 1944. The year was about 1973 so the brandy was at its prime. The “Ship’s Doc” had established junior officers sick call in the evening otherwise known as happy hour. In all the time the ship was underway he said my dad never imbibed with them. On one evening the “Ship’s Doc” fell asleep while smoking in his rack. That ship had no air-conditioning so a porthole was open and fortunately Gene was the Officer of the Deck, noticed the smoke and called general quarters off the coast of Cuba. Ship’s company manned GQ in record time and found the fire. Captain’s orders were the doc would have no mattress for the remainder of the cruise. During his naval career he received many decorations but what he valued most were the shipmates that became his brothers.

Family

While in the navy he travelled the world and while in Yokosuka, Japan he met and married Mitsuko Murakami in 1956. Later that year they had a daughter Mitzi Marie. The family moved back to the states in 1957. Unfortunately, in 1960 Mitzi was struck by a car and did not survive. Michael was born in February 1961 and Mitsuko contacted cancer and passed in July 1961. Suddenly Gene was a single parent with a baby to take care of. He made sure Mike was taken care of while he served his country. While on a visit home to Tennessee he met a young bank teller, Arlene and life changed for the better. They were married in 1963 and were soon off to California. After arriving in California his daughter Michelle was born in 1964, Mark in 1966 and his favorite lefty Gena in 1968. As a family, we moved all over the country. Each move was an adventure seeing new places, meeting new friends and of course new ships. He gave us a great childhood. He loved his wife and kids, providing for them, and guiding them through life’s difficult times. We learned many lessons from him but perseverance and getting back up when life knocks you down really stand out. Mark passed in 1991 and seeing him face the loss of his son was difficult. He treasured his kids but seeing him with his grandkids was something special; Cody, Amy, Robert, Brandon and Ethan loved their grandpa, the tall tales and sea stories. Then the great grandkids came along; Anaya, Nathan, Matix, Audrina, Mason, Kaylee, Landon and Riley. All of had a special place in his heart. Most of all he cherished Arlene, his “Navy Wife” of 56 years. The two of them conquered many challenges, achieved many goals and raised a loving family.

Sailor you have completed your watch. You stand relieved.

Fair winds and a following sea, shipmate.