James Wortham
Jamie, Jimmy, Jim, Dad, Coach or Mr. Wortham—all names for one smart, compassionate, and dedicated Renaissance man from a small town in central Kentucky, James Lewis Wortham.
Jamie’s arrival delighted his parents J. R. (James Ray) and Audrey (Lewis Lush) Wortham on June 20, 1949 in Louisville, Kentucky. With his parents, sister Mona, and paternal grandmother “Mammy”, Jamie grew up in Leitchfield, Kentucky where he attended St. Joseph Parish elementary school until beginning high school at St. Joseph Preparatory School in Bardstown, Kentucky. Early on, Jamie exhibited talent for baseball on his Little League teams, and for languages as the only altar boy in Leitchfield who could follow the Mass in Latin. Being a good Kentucky son, he followed the UK Wildcats; there being no baseball team in Kentucky, he was a huge fan of Cincinnati Reds (Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, etc.).
At the Xaverian “Saint Joe Prep” in Bardstown, Jamie played varsity baseball all four years and graduated salutatorian in 1967. He made many life-long friendships during his years of boarding and regularly attended reunions including the 50th reunion in 2017. On a full scholarship, Jamie attended St. Louis University, completing a B.A. (1971) and M.A., both degrees in French. During his years at SLU, he added Billiken basketball and St. Louis Cardinals baseball to his list of favorite teams.
In 1971, he began his 39-year teaching career at the St. Louis Priory School, a college preparatory school for boys founded by Benedictine monks. In addition to teaching French and Spanish, Coach Wortham mentored many a young man in the skills and drills of football, basketball, and baseball. While his students appreciated his steady demeanor and wry humor, his colleagues chuckled at Jimmy’s spot-on impersonations, frequently imitating school administrators. As acknowledged in the 2007 Priory yearbook, “The quiet and reserved Mr. Wortham often masks his abundance of wisdom and knowledge. No one talks when he does for fear of missing out on his sage words of advice, or an impeccably placed joke.”
After fifteen years of bachelorhood, he married Rise Gilliom, a colleague in the Priory Modern Language Department. In April 1989, the arrival of Lucy Renee gave him the title of Dad; in November 1991, James Hayden (Jay) made him a Dad x2. Always ready for a game of catch, bedtime story, homework help, a Nicktoon, or a good nap on the couch, Jim gently coached his children into adulthood. He and Rise parted ways after fifteen years, but continued as co-parents to provide a nurturing and steadfast sense of family for Lucy and Jay. Jim proudly attended Lucy’s graduations from Rosati-Kain High School in 2007 and Webster University (B.A. Music and Philosophy), and he encouraged her throughout her graduate studies in Historical Performance Practices at Indiana University-Bloomington. Jim was especially proud to coach Jay on the Priory Varsity Baseball Team and to attend Jay’s graduations from St. Louis Priory School in 2010 and Rockhurst University (B.S. Exercise Science), where Jay played baseball for the RU Hawks.
Jim retired from teaching in 2010 and enjoyed a few years of leisure, when he was particularly active on Billiken forums as “West Pine Jim” and made near daily trips to St. Louis Bread Company or Kaldi’s for a hot mocha. Physical and mental deterioration began to take their toll around 2014; he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus in 2016. In 2018, Rise, Jay, and Lucy oversaw Jim’s move to Manor Grove Skilled Nursing in Kirkwood, Missouri. With visits from Priory colleagues, his sister Mona, his children, and Rise, along with outstanding care from Manor Grove staff (kudos to Howard who regularly read the newspaper to Jim in the evenings), he maintained a limited but comfortable residency. He and Jay continued to attend Billiken basketball games through January 2019 in spite of transportation challenges. Quite abruptly, Jim’s condition quickly declined on October 12; Jay and Rise placed him in hospice and spent the evening and most of the night with him. The following morning, Fr. Gerard Garrigan, OSB of St. Anselm Parish administered Last Rites, and Lucy was at his side when Jim peacefully exited the stage just before noon.
Family and friends remember about Jim: his love of musical theater (introduced Rise and Lucy to the genre, fifteen years apart, with Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Cats at the Fox Theater); just as comfortable in the streets of Paris, New York City, San Francisco, and merrie olde London as the streets of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry; enjoying a Tolkien or Sherlock Holmes novel in “the big chair”; a wizard of TV and sports trivia; a linguist and multi-linguist extraordinaire; collector of hundreds of baseball and entertainer autographs and memorabilia; known to sacrifice his preferred vacation style to “rough it” with his family on camping trips; while he received no formal music training, it is suspected that he had a nice singing voice and ear for pitch, and was quick to sing you a radio or television jingle (or make one up on the spot!); expert grilled corn-on-the-cob and pork steak chef; preferred Coke or Nehi soda pop to wine or whiskey; had a lifelong sweet tooth with his fondness of banana pudding and vanilla wafers, Hostess treats, and “old time candy” King Leo peppermint sticks, maple sugar, and fudge; classic film and TV expert and connoisseur, particularly the films of Alfred Hitchcock, Joan Crawford, and Lon Cheney, classic comics Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, and Carol Burnett; toe-tapper to classic country, rock, doo-wop, and Motown: was especially fond of Patsy Cline; eagerly anticipated Halloween season every year with his love of classic monster movies and trick-or-treating with Lucy and Jay; thousands of miles logged scouting for Priory sports and accompanying Jay to baseball tournaments across the country; if a Priory student was stumped when translating a word or phrase, Mr. Wortham would act it out with a charade or “an interpretive dance”.
Jim leaves behind a small but devoted family: his children Lucy (Indianapolis) and Jay (St. Louis), his mother Audrey (Leitchfield), his sister Mona Riggs (Owensboro, Ky), his niece Kathryn (Riggs) and Jonathan Krampe (Owensboro), and his forever co-parent Rise (St. Louis); additionally, many cousins, friends, colleagues, and countless students will remember him. As he requested, Jim’s body was donated to the SLU School of Medicine; there will be no formal memorial. Jim’s family encourages you to remember him by attending a basketball or baseball game, listening to Patsy Cline, or enjoying a classic film or stage musical. Memorial gifts may be made to St. Louis Priory School. Friends may contact Jim’s family at 8350 Delcrest Drive Apt. 801, St. Louis, MO 63124.
What a great tribute! He will be missed but will live on in your hearts.
All our love,
Cynthia and Craig Knox
I always enjoyed chatting with Jim, whether in person or only on Facebook. My condolences to his family. RIP.
A wonderful remembrance that captures his personality perfectly. One of the nicest, funniest people I’ve ever met. I’m so glad that I was able to know him.
A thoughtful tribute to a very good man. Thanks for all the bluesy wisdom, Jim. And yes, Jim “even the monks still call me Rotho.”
I remember Mr. Wortham as being a very tough but great teacher. He was quick witted and funny, which always made his classes enjoyable. I was fortunate to have him as a coach in 7th and 8th grade in football, basketball and baseball. He was very knowledgeable and pushed me to reach my potential in all 3 sports. Priory could use more men like Mr. Wortham. He was very supportive of the student athlete. I always enjoyed debating sports with him, especially since he was old school in his opinions. I’m sad to hear he passed, he will be missed.
A great coach and teacher. I’ll never forget him telling me the importance of a team touchdown. Easily my favorite teacher at Priory. Au revoir.
Mr. Wortham was one of my teachers and basketball coaches at Priory. I don’t remember any time when he said a harsh word to us, no matter how bad we were playing at the time. He was a gentle soul who will deeply missed.
He will now rest in the Father’s arms!
Au revoir, Monsieur Wortham
John Harris ‘80
Saddened by his passing, but forever grateful and honored to have been one of his students. RIP Mr. Wortham
Mr. Wortham, excellent French professor. I have fond memories of his classes, with his humor and constant, positive disposition. It saddens me to hear of Mr. Wortham’s passing. Merci Monsieur Wortham!
Mr Wortham was indeed a memorable soul and I now more appreciate his influence on the students he has touched over his impressive career. He was a great man.
Peter Ahlering ‘82
I am very sorry and saddened to hear of Mr. Wortham’s death. He was a good man, a dedicated teacher, and a mentor to a lot of students. The ripples of his life have carried far and touched many. My sincere condolences to his family on their loss.
Mr. Wortham was a stellar French teacher and mentor, with a delightfully sly and understated sense of humor. We are grieved to hear of his passing, albeit at this later date. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Very to sorry to see his passing. Mr. Wortham was a great guy, and a nice man – with a really dry sense of humor. He quietly let me slide a little my junior year in French, and for that I am forever grateful. My deepest sympathies to his family and his Priory family.
Chris Scheiner ‘88
Great teacher and coach
Made a great impact on my education and athletics at Priory.
Not the typical teacher nor coach which made Coach Wortham so unique, admirable, personable and a standout person, teacher and coach at Priory
All my best, thoughts and prayers
Andrew T Richardson
Class of 89
As a kid from Manchester who never knew if I belonged at Priory (much less in a French class), Mr. Wortham always was my favorite teacher. He gave me a love of French that took me through college, through studying in Paris (!). My condolences.
La parfaite valeur est de faire sans témoin ce qu’on serait capable de faire devant tout le monde.
Mr. Wortham quietly went about his way teaching several generations of young men in manner all his own, in a manner unparalleled by other instructors. He was subtle in his style, never seeking attention. Still rivers run deep. The words of encouragement I received from him both in sports and in academics lifted me during my years at Priory. Despite the class of 1990’s proficiency at being disruptive, myself perhaps bearing the greatest guilt, I cannot recall a time that I saw Mr. Wortham angry. I will always remember the belief he had in me and the kindness he showed me.
As a former colleague of Jim’s, I am delighted to read these tributes by his former students. For many of the young men whom I knew during my twenty-two years at the school, Jim’s gentle and caring approach, combined with his expertise in several areas, represented the best of the Priory experience.
I wrote on honor of Jim. We grew up together and were lifelong friends of 65 yrs. He was best man in our wedding and I in his. I too went into teaching and coaching, AP European, world history and baseball. It makes me proud to read the kind and respectful comments of so many whose lives Jim touched. A life and legacy that made a difference.