Marlin E. Worden

Happy, lenient, and compassionate were a few ways to describe the characteristics of Marlin Worden. He had a big heart, never judged others and never complained. Marlin was very laid back, easy going and rarely would raise his voice. He was a great man for anyone to look up to.

With the Great Depression finally beginning to ease in 1939, Americans were earning more and starting to buy more to help fuel the economy. The Hewlett-Packard Company was created, LaGuardia Airport opens in New York, the first air-conditioned car is shown, and Lou Gehrig retired from Major League Baseball after being diagnosed with ALS. In entertainment the movies, "Gone with the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz" premiered along with "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". With all the events that happened that year, no news was more important to William M. and Lucille (DePoy) Worden than the birth of their second child, Marlin E. Worden on December 27, 1939 in Columbia City, Indiana.

He grew up just west of town in the countryside then, near the corner of Lincolnway and U.S. 30. He was a typical boy of the time who loved being outdoors, fishing and rabbit hunting with his dad. Marlin graduated from Columbia City Joint High School in 1957. With the United States being involved with the Vietnam War, he enlisted with the U.S. Army in the fall of 1961 along with a friend.

Marlin was stationed in Germany when he met a young gal that would change his life's course. After being sent back home, he convinced Irmgard Raithel to leave Germany and take a leap of faith, move to Columbia City and marry him. The two would be reunited and married on December 13, 1964 at the Columbia City United Methodist Church. They would start a family and welcomed five children into their new life together; Peter, Romando, Beate, and twin daughters, Nadin and Corina.

Marlin supported his family as he worked nearly 30 years for a company that went through several mergers and buy-outs. He started with United Technology and retired from Dana in the engineering department. He was a member of the Columbia City Masonic Lodge 189. F. & A.M., Mizpah Shrine, American Legion, VFW, Elks, Moose and Eagles. He loved being active. He kept busy by building and remodeling apartments that they owned and wanted to give others the best place to live within his capabilities, even though some many have not appreciated the efforts Marlin put into it, or the extra efforts he made for them. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, dancing, going to and watching NASCAR races, gardening, tending to his flowers and having a Budweiser with his friends and family. For 13 years, he and Irmgard spent winter months down in Nokomis, Florida and he looked forward to spending Monday nights with friends around the table at the Legion having chicken wings and catching up.

Unfortunately, Marlin's health declined, and they no longer could go back to Florida. Irmgard took care of Marlin the best she could. Marlin E. Worden, 79, of Columbia City, Indiana, passed away peacefully at 12:47 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2019 surrounded by his family at Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home in Fort Wayne where he had been a patient for two days after fighting with Multiple System Atrophy, MSA, a very rare disease. Survivors include his loving wife of 54 years, Irmgard Worden; children, Romando (Paula) Worden, Beate Worden, Nadin Worden and Corina Worden, all of Columbia City; sister, Carol (Orville) Grable, of Columbia City; grandchildren, Tanner Worden, Tabitha Garber, Tarrin Worden, Adam Lemon, Brooke Lemon and Colton Lemon; and great-grandchildren, Ryder, Brexley and Kooper. He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Peter Manfred Worden.

A gathering of family and friends will be 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. A masonic service and message will be 11 a.m. Thursday with a gathering beginning an hour prior at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home or the Humane Society of Whitley County. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send his family condolences online.