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Note: Gerald was never married, nor did he have any children.
The following obituary was published in a local paper at the time of Gerald's death.
The funeral of Gerald Clifton Worthen was held at the Church of the Ascension here with Rev. Milton Dorman officiating.
The pallbearers were Douglas Worthen, Donald Hatt, Herbert MacAuley and Harry Stanley.
Mr. Worthen's death occurred at our Lady of Mercy Hospital, Toronto after a lengthy illness. He was 46.
He was born in North Head, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Worthen.
Mr. Worthen was a member of the Oddfellows and Masonic Lodges. He is survived by his parents;....
The following Card of Thanks was published in a local paper following Gerald's death.
"We wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all out friends, neighbours, and relatives who helped in any way in our recent bereavement, for donations to the Canadian Heart Fund and the Church Restoration Fund, flowers, cooking, cards and to the many people who called and were so kind.
Special thanks to Burton Small and those who went with him to bring Gerald's remains from Black's harbour and to Rev. Milton Dorman."
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Worthen and Family
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Gerald Worthen left Grand Manan and moved to Ontario where he worked for a surveying company in the Toronto area. He was away for a number of years and returned to the island for a short visit when his sister Marjorie graduated from High School.
Gerald would write his mother on a weekly basis... eventually the letters would become less and less. He would then promise Clara he would be home on a certain day and she would wait faithfully for him at the kitchen table but he would not appear and she would be disappointed yet again...
Years would pass and at one point Clara called the rooming house in Toronto to be told he no longer lived there and they did not have a forwarding address.... Clara was devestated and often wondered if her son was even alive.
Eventually they got a call from the Toronto Hospital... Gerald was there and not well, the following day they called, he had died. Gerald was returned to Black's Harbour on a Sunday. Friends of the family took Earl's fishing boat to Blacks to pick him up and bring him home for burial as the normal ferry did not run on Sunday's at the time.
Gerald was a long time alcoholic and died of Throat cancer. He was returned to NB with his wallet which contained a photo of Marjorie, a mason's ring and little else. He was buried at North Head in the family plot.
Source: Marjorie Lutes April 2004
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