Troy Dean Worley, 80, longtime resident of Tifton and current resident of Dandridge, Tennessee, died Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at his residence in Dandridge after a lengthy illness. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 1, 2006 in the Memorial Chapel of the First Baptist Church in Tifton. Dr. Wayne Roe and Dr. W. Ches Smith, III will officiate with burial to follow in Omega Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, March 31, 2006 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson and will be at the home of Travelle Morgan, 711 Marty Lane in Tifton.
Mr. Worley was born July 5, 1925 to Eli F. and Evie S. Worley, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by two sisters and two brothers. He was a member of the First Baptist church in Tifton before moving to Dandridge, Tennessee where he became a member of the First Baptist Church of Dandridge.
Mr. Worley was a World War II veteran, entering the Marine Corpos at the age of 16, serving in the South Pacific Theater of War with the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion, where he was seriously wounded on Iwo Jima. He received the Purple Heart and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon from James Forestall, Secretary of the Navy. He served with the City of Tifton Police Department for many years, retiring as Chief of Police in 1987. The City of Tifton Police Department will perform the Honor Guard Drill at the services.
After retiring from the Police Department, he worked as a computer programmer for the City of Tifton until moving to Dandridge, Tennessee in 1998. He also volunteered with the Georgia Agrirama as a computer programmer and consultant. He was a member of Masonic Lodge #47 and was a Past Master of that lodge.
Survivovrs include his wife, Marie S. Worley of Dandridge, Tennessee; one daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Thad Epps of Dandridge, Tennessee; one son, Kenneth Worley of Alpharetta; three grandchildren, Sandi Bittle and husband, H. E. Bittle, III, of Knoxville, Tennessee, Erik Worley of Decatur and Rose Marie Worley of Alpharetta; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Travelle Morgan and Norma and William J. NIcholson, all of Tifton; and several nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Tifton Building Fund.