American Legion Post helps bid area man farewell

Staff Reports 

Everyone knows someone who starts out in life relatively humble.  The truth is, most of us started out the exact same way.  However, for most of us, that’s about all we’re going to get out of life.  For Robert Joe Worsham, that just wasn’t good enough.

He was born as Bobby Joe Worsham in the tiny town of Hopeful, Georgia, Worsham enlisted in the United States Air Force, where his name was changed to Robert, in 1952 in the Air Police where he served as a K-9 handler. 

After his honorable discharge from the Air Force, Worsham went to work for the Dade County Sheriff’s Department in Miami, Florida.  He served with the patrol division, Internal Affairs, the Crime Laboratory, becoming the Supervisor of the Crime Scene Technicians, Bomb Squad, Firearms and Photo Lab. 

He reportedly created a number of tools to make their jobs easier.  Among them was Chem Print, for which he was awarded a Governors’ Medal and acknowledgement as one of the 1967 top ten police officers in the country was a breakthrough in expanding the recovery of fingerprints and Dusti-Ident fingerprint powder which usable on all colored services, light or dark.

In 1967, he founded Criminalistics, Inc. which produced his products which he ran while still serving with the Sheriff’s Department until he retired early in 1974.

One of Worsham’s creations was called the Hotdog. The first of its kind device would sense the temperature and help prevent police K-9’s from overheating.

Worsham passed away this past Christmas Eve at the age of 70. “Services had been performed in Washington State. His family was trying to find someone in our area to do a flag service for him. Everyone they tried were of no help,” said Ray Humphrey, Commander of American Legion Post 30 here in Albany.

Humphrey had been contacted by Worsham’s daughter-in-law Gail, who asked if he could help. “I gave her the name and number of several organizations in and around Camilla. I told her to call me if no one would help and I would try to get a team together. Well, no one helped. She could not even get them to call her back!,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey set up a flag folding team, a rifle team to provide the 21 gun salute that is considered one of the higher honors that can be given to an American at their funeral, and someone to play taps. He invited the Patriot Guard - a group of motorcycle riders who attend the funerals of veterans and were formed in 2005 in response to the protests at soldier’s funerals by the notorious Westboro Baptist Church - to stand a flag line at the grave site.

Humphrey and Post 30 showed up over 60 supporters and with more than 40 motorcycles riding in from Florida, Alabama and around the state of Georgia. “I don't think the town of Hopeful had seen a sight like that in a long while,” Humphrey said of the event. There were a lot of people stopping watching and taking pictures,” Humphrey recalls.

Worsham had a life that started off as fairly normal.  However, he was never cut out for “normal.” That was clear when, in August of 1948 when he became the youngest pilot in the United States.

“Sometimes the little guy that made it good needs to be in the spotlight,” says Humphrey.

  By anyone’s definition, Worsham had definitely, “made it good.” However, thanks to the efforts of the members of American Legion Post 30,the Legion Riders and the Patriot Guard, Worsham was bid farewell to with honors befitting a man who had seems to have dedicated his life to helping others. 

From his military time, to his law enforcement career, and even his business enterprise, Worsham seemed focused with laser-like precision on making others lives just that much better. It is obvious that he passed his values to his family. His son Scott piloted a helicopter into a hot landing zone in Vietnam. There he rescued several American service men pinned down and under heavy enemy fire. For his actions Scott receives several medals including the Silver Star and Purple Heart!  The world could use a few more guys like Robert Joe Worsham and his family!