Leonard Worthen, 94, of Wakefield, died April 9, 2020 after a brief illness. Born in Woburn, Massachusetts, Dec. 28, 1925, he was the son of the late Alice (Ransom) Worthen and Lawrence Preston Worthen and the brother of the late Gordon A. Worthen, all of Stoneham, Massachusetts.
Worthen was a professor, researcher, department chair, and associate dean at the URI College of Pharmacy during his 33-year career. He was inducted into the College of Pharmacy Hall of Fame last fall.
A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, he was married to his beloved wife, the late M. Elizabeth “Betty” (Shumway) Worthen, for 54 years. He is survived by his three children: Diane Worthen-Hirsch and her husband Eric, of North Scituate; Lawrence P. Worthen and his wife Diane, of Exeter; and David R. Worthen, of South Kingstown.
In addition to his academic work, Worthen served for more than 40 years as a community pharmacist in Massachusetts and at the former DeFanti’s Pharmacy, in Wakefield and the Pier Pharmacy, Narragansett.
Dean Larrat called his late colleague a good friend and mentor, who piqued his interest in public health. “I enjoyed our regular breakfast meetings with him at Old Mountain Lanes in Wakefield. I speak on behalf of the college and University when I say that he will be deeply missed.”
According to his Hall of Fame citation, Professor and Dean Worthen was a member of the inaugural cohort of faculty members when the college formally became a permanent part of URI at its Kingston Campus. A student favorite, he served as the anchor of the pharmacognosy department for many years before becoming the associate dean of the college. A Ph.D. graduate of the University of Massachusetts, he had a keen interest in antibiotics and natural medicine products derived from terrestrial and marine sources.
He was an esteemed mentor and friend to more than three decades of students and professional colleagues.
He served as a member and past president of the South Kingstown Lions Club, president of the South County Museum, president of Peace Dale Estates, as a volunteer at the Storehouse Soup Kitchen in Peace Dale, and on the South County Hospital Medical Privileges Committee. A member of Peace Dale Congregational Church for 62 years, he served as a deacon, a Sunday school teacher, and on many committees.
A memorial service to be held at the Peace Dale Congregational Church will be scheduled at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to South County Hospital, 100 Kenyon Avenue, Wakefield, RI 02879; the Peace Dale Congregational Church, 261 Columbia St., Peace Dale, RI 02879; or the Salvation Army, 386 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907, would be appreciated. See the full obituary.