Allen Wilson Worley

1945 - 2024

Allen Wilson Worley died April 23, 2024 at his home in Memphis due to complications related to dementia.

He was born May 14, 1945 in Macon, Georgia to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Worley. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years Patricia J. Worley. They were members of Park Avenue Church of Christ, where he served as a deacon. They had two children, Victor Allen Worley of Memphis and Kerin Worley Owen of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and three grandchildren, Victoria Ashlyn Worley, Elijah Washington Owen and Henry Allen Owen. He is also survived by his son-in-law, Gary Owen; sister-in-law and brother in-law, Betty and Mike Mallott, and two nieces Lorrayne Mallott and Michelle Mallott.

As a youngster he raised homing pigeons, and started a radio station in Macon, Georgia, where he produced commercials for local businesses and played music 24 hours a day. Allen moved to Memphis in 1965 and graduated from Memphis State University, where he met Patty in the marching band. While he was in his 20s, he started Worley Photography, and won national awards for bridal portraits and commercial photography. During the 1960s he was also a member of the Memphis garage band, Tight Little Unit and served as engineer for the band's live album, "Just Send Her to Me." He worked in the hotel industry for 50 years, starting with Holiday Inns Inc., then Promus Hotel Corp., then Hilton Hotels. He later started a division of Guest Supply, called Guest Purchasing Services and retired as vice president.

He had numerous interests including ham radios and model airplanes. He was a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics and flew in national line control and radio control model airplane competitions. In an effort to create a faster model airplane fuel, he experimented with volatile chemicals. Friends jokingly dubbed the less-than-successful result "Allen's Metal-Melter Fuel." His Planet Hobby business was a U.S. importer of model airplane engines from Nova Rossi of Italy. He was a general problem solver for all his friends and family. He was skilled at automotive repair, and his electronic and mechanical skills led him to build Heathkit televisions, speakers, turntables, AM receivers, radio-control transmitters, and alarm systems for his family and friends.

A visitation will be 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 1, followed by the funeral at 11:30 at Memorial Park Funeral Home at 5668 Poplar.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like for donations to be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.