La Grande, Oregon
Robert Marshall “Bob” Worcester, 76, of The Dalles, died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home on Sept. 12, 2004.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at noon on Thursday at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in The Dalles. The Rev. Joe Kelbel will officiate. Private cremation will follow at The Dalles Win-Quatt Crematory.
Visitations will be held Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home.
Bob was born on Oct. 13, 1927, in Omaha, Neb., to Nathaniel and Marye Anderson Worcester. He grew up and attended school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He entered the Navy in 1946 and served as a radio operator on a destroyer.
He married JoeAnn Greene in 1946 in Cedar Rapids. They moved to La Grande in 1973 where she preceded him in death in 1983. He married Kaethe Moll Gildersleeve on March 24, 1986, at La Grande.
Bob was a graduate of Coe College in Cedar Rapids and earned his master’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado in Denver. He was a therapist for Union County Mental Health in La Grande and he worked as a stress management counselor in private practice until his death.
Earlier careers included teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and corporate vice president for both Motorola and Container Corporation of America.
For the last 13 years, Bob and Kaethe have made their home in The Dalles. His first priority was his family. He always enjoyed helping people, fishing, hiking, traveling and reading.
All those who were privileged to have known him will miss him greatly.
He is survived by his wife, Kaethe Worcester of The Dalles; four children and their spouses, Wendy and Harvey Dunlap of Oklahoma, Sally and David McCann, Robert D. Worcester, and Barbara Carper, all of La Grande; four stepchildren and their spouses, Christina and Jonathan Neumann and Alison Gildersleeve of Portland, Walter and Claudia Gildersleeve of Heimbach, Germany, and Jon Gildersleeve of Oakland, Calif.; 15 grandchildren, Robert, Misty, Matthew, Douglas, Katheryn, Sherry, Sarah, JoeAnn, Elizabeth, Julian, Isabella, Gannon, Simona, Elijah and Eric; nine great-grandchildren and two sisters, Marilynn Faber of Iowa and Ellen Connett of Colorado.
He was preceded in death by his wife, JoeAnn, and son, Robert Marshall Worcester Jr.
Memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Academy Scholarship Fund, 1112 Cherry Hts. Rd., The Dalles, OR 97058.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, September 17, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
