Representative John Marion Wormley View All Years

Memorial to the Honorable John M. Wormley of Plymouth County

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable John M. Wormley, begs leave to report the following memorial:

John Marion Wormley was born at Macomb, Illinois, November 25, 1863. His parents, Samuel S. and Susan Wormley, moved to Newton, Jasper county, Iowa, when he was a child of three. Here he grew to manhood and the family home was maintained there until the death of his parents. He attended Hazel Dell Academy at Newton and Iowa State College and in 1889 received his law degree from the State University of Iowa. He was admitted to the bar and moved to Kingsley, Iowa, to establish his law practice.

On September 21, 1893, he was united in marriage with Frankie Rock, who preceded him in death November 17, 1917. To this union nine children were born: Edna McGuire, Sioux City, Iowa; Sue Sanborn, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin; Henry W. Wormley, Des Moines; John M. Wormley, Davenport, Iowa; Frances Clark, Ida Grove, Iowa; George Wormley, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Woodrow Wormley, Kingsley, Iowa; Charles Wormley, Davenport, Iowa, and Paul Wormley, deceased.

He became actively interested in politics and community affairs and in 1904 was elected mayor of the town of Kingsley in which capacity he served five terms. Mr. Wormley served as postmaster, as a member of the Kingsley board of education and as state Representative of Plymouth county in the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth General Assemblies. He served in many other capacities as a community leader. On the 4th day of February, 1923, he was married to Vera Lowe of Marshalltown, Iowa, who survives her beloved husband.

One son, Henry W., followed in his father’s footsteps by serving as state Representative from Plymouth county in the Fiftieth and Fifty-first sessions of the General Assembly.

Mr. Wormley’s ability as an organizer and his untiring efforts in the interest of community welfare were reflected in many ways in the development of the prosperous and progressive community of which Kingsley, Iowa, is the center. His sincerity, his kindly nature and his ever readiness to champion a just and worthy cause gained for Mr. Wormley an enviable number of friends. He was a member of the Plymouth County and Iowa Bar Associations, Odd Fellows, Elks and the Congregational Church. He was blessed with good health and carried on an active and useful life to the time of his passing on November 12, 1948. He was laid to rest beside his wife and son in the Kingsley cemetery.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-third General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable John M. Wormley, the state has lost a valued and honored citizen, and the House would tender its sincere sympathy to the surviving members of his family in their sorrow.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journals of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

J . HENRY LUCKEN,

ROBERT P. MUNGER,

LAURENCE M. BOOTHBY,

Committee.