Daniel Worsham

1932 - 2017

Daniel A. Worsham

Daniel Auclair Worsham, of San Jose, CA, passed away at the age of 84, from natural causes with family at his side at the VA hospital, Palo Alto, Ca, on Friday, January 27th. Son of the late Robert Pearl & Gladys Ivadell Worsham, he was given the birth name of Harlan Daniel Auclair Peter McMurtrey Worsham, as his parents were unable to agree on his name. It is told that his parents both addressed him with their preferred name throughout his life until their deaths.
Born in Orcutt, CA, Daniel joined the U.S. Naval Reserve while graduating from Santa Maria High School. He then transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps, where he fought in the Korean War. Daniel was a Purple Heart recipient and also proudly wore the Bronze Star in honor of his family's service to the United States.
After being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps, he studied mechanical engineering at Stanford University. He then became an innovator in Silicon Valley, working at Fairchild and Siliconix. After his time there, he founded his own company, Pacific Western Systems, where he served as president until his retirement. He led his business with unique flair, maintaining a 'standing only' desk in his office, grilling for his employees at the annual company picnic in true Santa Maria style, and even establishing a special day off for his employees, known as PWS Day.
Daniel enjoyed many hobbies, most notably duck hunting, cooking, and maintaining an extensive home garden and orchard. Although he engaged in hunting creatures large and small, his greatest love was hunting ducks and pheasant, with his beloved black labs, Minnie, Tiki, Jenny, & Ella. He was a longtime member of the Wild Goose Club and Sheep Farm Island. Later in life, he also purchased his own private club, Hidden Cove on the Suisun Marsh. Dan was also known for his Santa Maria BBQ including chili beans and what he called, Marine Corps Pie. Lastly, he enjoyed rototilling his garden, providing the foundation for bountiful crops every fall.
Daniel was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings, Roberta, Gladys, Glenn, Ivan, & Dwight, as well as his first wife, Patricia Dean Worsham.
He is survived by his wife, Becky Lynne Davis of Sunnyvale, CA & his eight children: Robert Wade of Sutter Creek, CA; Sandra Ann of Half Moon Bay, CA.; Vicky Diane of San Jose, CA.; Brett Alan of Winnemucca, NV.; Roberta Gaillyn Gladys of Patterson, CA.; Lincoln John of San Jose, CA.; Adam Spencer of Bountiful, Utah; & Samuel Lawrence of Burlingame, CA. He was also the very proud grandfather of eighteen grandchildren & two great grandchildren
Services will be held at Cusimano's Colonial Family Mortuary located at 96 El Camino Real West, Mountain View, CA on February 13th, 2017. A viewing will be held at 11 am followed by a short service at Noon. Burial will take place at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno after Military Honors are given at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Gary Sinese Foundation or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.