WHORTON Jacksonville Loses a Community Leader Judson S. Whorton, longtime Jacksonville executive and community leader, died June 24, 2015, at age 85 after an illness with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Buckner Whorton and their four children, Jane McRae, Elaine Ray, Bruce Whorton of Jacksonville, FL and Alan Whorton of Nashville, TN. Judson Whorton retired from American Heritage Life Insurance Company (AHL) in 1986 after thirty-one years of employment where he served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. He served the same position in the parent corporation, American Heritage Life Investment Corporation and held other executive positions in several subsidiaries of the parent corporation. He was born in Gadsden, AL on December 26, 1929. He played football and attended Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL where he earned his degree in Business Administration. After serving in the U.S. Navy he married Carolyn Buckner in 1953 and remained happily married to his bride for 61 years. They have four children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He moved to Jacksonville, FL in 1957 to become the third employee of the newly formed American Heritage Life Insurance Company, where he worked his entire career. During his employment with AHL, he also served from 1970 to 1982 as President and CFO of American Century Mortgage Investors (NYSE), a real estate investment trust. He actively volunteered his time to improve the economic development, healthcare and education community of Jacksonville. He served for over 35 years as a Trustee of Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida (now Baptist Health). He was a founding member of the Board of Directors of Baptist Towers of Jacksonville, Inc. and also on the founding Advisory Board of the University of North Florida (UNF). During his time, he held leadership positions on numerous committees. He served on the Mayor's Economic Development Council of Jacksonville and was a member of the Mayor's Commission on Housing. He has been an active member and lay leader of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL since 1957 where he served as President of the Trustees, Treasurer, Chairman of the Deacons, and Chairman of the Finance Committee. As Chairman of the Pulpit Committee, he was instrumental in calling Dr. Mac Brunson as pastor. He has been a great role model as a Godly man by being a Bible teacher of young married adults for 44 years and serving with his wife as mentors to young married couples through the Sunday School program. Family will receive friends on Saturday June 27, 2014 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM with a funeral service being conducted at 11:30 AM at the First Baptist Church, 124 W Ashley St. Jacksonville, FL 32202. Interment will follow in the Greenlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages charitable donations to the Baptist Health Foundation, 841 Prudential Drive, Suite 1300, Jacksonville, FL 32207 for the Judson and Carolyn Whorton Cancer Research Endowment Fund. The Whortons established this endowment fund to provide funding for cancer research and treatment of Baptist Cancer Institute. Arrangements are under the direction of Hardage-Giddens Greenlawn Funeral Home, 4300 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32207. Please offer condolences at www.greenlawnjacksonville.com

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Published by Florida Times-Union on Jun. 26, 2015.