Worthen, Donald Eugene (1964-1983)

WORTHEN, HORNUNG

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 3/14/2024 at 15:43:39

Daily Freeman Journal
Webster City, Iowa
Wednesday, November 16, 1983

Youth dies in fiery mishap near city

Don Worthen is victim of accident

A Webster City man, Donald E. Worthen, 18, died in a vehicle fire east of Webster City early this morning.

The fire was reported at approximately 3 a.m. and the vehicle was on fire when the Webster City fire department arrived at the scene, according to the sheriff's department.

The tragic mishap occurred on the gravel road about one mile south of its intersection with Old Highway 20 - now called 928.

The Worthen vehicle had been involved in an accident earlier in the evening, and had been driven into a road ditch. The driver and passenger then left and returned with another vehicle to attempt to pull the Worthen car from the ditch.

However, the second vehicle was also driven into the road ditch, and Worthen and Jeff Parsons, 18, Blairsburg, then entered the Worthen vehicle and both were in the vehicle when the fire was discovered.

Parsons escaped from the vehicle and did make an attempt to rescue Worthen but was unsuccessful in that attempt.

He then ran to a house east of Webster City on old Highway 20 to report the fire. The cause of the death has been found to be accidental in nature.

The incident was investigated by the Hamilton County sheriff's department, the Webster City fire department, the Webster City police department and Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa State Fire marshal's office.

Webster City's fire department and rescue crew members were called to the scene of the tragedy at 3:07 this morning and remained at the scene until about 7:45 a.m.

Funeral services for Donald Eugene Worthen, 18, will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Foster Funeral home with the Rev. David LaMaster officiating and with burial in the North Lawn cemetery at Iowa Falls.

Donald Eugene Worthen, son of James and Margaret Hornung Worthen, was born Dec. 4, 1964 at Webster City and attended the Webster City schools.

He had resided at home and was employed part-time for the Farm Service Company of Williams.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Worthen, Sr., four brothers, Robert, Terry, James Jr., and Troy Lynn Worthen, all of Webster City, and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Marie Hornung of Iowa Falls.