Ronald Eugene Worthen was born to Lyndell P. Worthen and Evelyn Worthen on November 12, 1943 in Yuba City, California.  He died on June 16, 2024 in Ardmore, Oklahoma.  Ron graduated from high school in Forrest City, Arkansas in 1962.  He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at the University of Arkansas where he graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Business in 1967 and University of Arkansas School of Law in 1968.  It was here that he met the love of his life and wife of 59 years, Katharine Graves Worthen on October 24, 1963 on a blind date in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

He was admitted to practice law in Arkansas in 1968 and in Oklahoma in 1970. He was licensed to practice in the State and Federal courts of Arkansas and Oklahoma, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and The Supreme Court of the United States.

After graduation Ron was a law Clerk for U.S. District Judge Oren Harris, Chief Judge of the Western District of Arkansas and Judge of the Easter District of Arkansas. Ron and Kathy moved to Ardmore in 1969.  After returning from active duty with the Oklahoma National Guard, Ron received his Oklahoma license and entered private practice with Chares Milor Senior. In 1972 he became First Assistant District Attorney under James Clark. In November 1973 he was appointed by the governor to complete James Clark's term.

He began his own elected term as District Attorney of the Twentieth District in January 1974. He was re-elected twice and served in that capacity until January 1, 1986 when he returned to private practice.

Ron served in various capacities with the First Baptist Church of Ardmore including as a deacon, Sunday School Department Director; Sunday School Teacher, Board of Trustees member and Personnel Committee member.

He served in the Oklahoma National Guard, first as a communications specialist with a cryptographer's security clearance, then in the JAG unit as chief prosecutor. He was awarded the Oklahoma Commendation Medal; He served as a Member of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Training Council for several years; a Director of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association for several years; a Director of Legal Aide of Oklahoma; a Director of Oklahoma Wildlife Federation; and as Vice-Chairman of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board.

Ron served as a president of the Carter County Bar Association and was Secretary -Treasurer of the Carter County Bar Association for several years. He was a member of the Oklahoma and Arkansas Bar Associations, the National Criminal Defense Attorneys Association; the Oklahoma Family Law Section; The Oklahoma Criminal Defense Attorneys Association; The National Trial Lawyers Association. He received the Clarence Darrow Award from the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Association; He was recognized as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer; he was a Fellow of the Litigation Council of America as one of the top 1% of attorneys in the United States; named one of top 10 Criminal Defense Attorneys in Oklahoma by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys; named one of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in Oklahoma by the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys.

Ron had multiple hobbies including: landscaping; waterfowl hunting; some fishing; photography; water color painting; wood carving; scuba diving; archeology; astronomy and genealogy research. He worked with Ducks Unlimited; National Wild Turkey Federation; Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the NRA. Waterfowl hunting with Ben Owens and his sons; Sonny Craddock; Tom Carlock; Steve Wells; and his own son-in laws was top on his list of favorite things.

He classified the sound of wings, the whistle of Widgeon or the honk of geese on a cold winter sunrise as beautiful music. He claimed a record of 25 years of dance recitals and said it would be hard to beat. All activities with his daughters and their families were considered an honor and a privilege.

He is survived by his wife Kathy and daughter Dr. Tamara Lytkowski and her husband Dr. William Lytkowski and their three children William, Josephine and Michael Lytkowski of Ardmore; daughter Laura and her husband Lance Lodes and their two daughters Lily and Addison Lodes of Edmond, Oklahoma; daughter Robyn and her husband Louis Hunsucker and their two children Knox and Parker Hunsucker of Naperville Illinois; and daughter Tandra and her husband Blake Hunt and their daughter Riley Paige Hunt of Edmond, Oklahoma; his brother, Lyndell P. Worthen Jr. and his wife Mary of Conway, Arkansas; his nephew Dr. Lyndell P. Worthen Ill and his wife Allison, and children Caroline and Lyndell IV of Conway, Arkansas; his legal assistant, Kim Brown and her husband Aaron and their children Laren and Ethan of Lone Grove.

Ron said he had received a lot of awards, but the ones he was most proud of was to be called a Christian; to be called Kathy's husband, and to be called Tami, Laura, Robyn and Tandra's dad.  He was greatly loved and will be missed by all.

Services will be conducted by Dr. Alton Fannin at First Baptist Church Ardmore on Friday July 5th, 2024 at 11 am. Instead of flowers the family request memorials donated to The Baptist Home for Girls in Madill or The First Missionary Baptist Church Ardmore Scholarship Fund.