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BORN

1944

DIED

2020

JAMES WORSHAM Obituary


James Bryson Worsham  
James Bryson Worsham, 76, of Chevy Chase, MD, passed away from complications of Parkinson's disease on December 4, 2020 in Washington, DC, with his wife and two sons at his side.  He was born January 4,1944 in Louisiana, MO to a newspaper typesetter and a seamstress. Jim began his career as a writer in the U.S. Army, receiving an Army Commendation Medal for his work as an information specialist. He went on to become an accomplished journalist for national newspapers, spending his formative years at The Boston Globe. While covering Boston school desegregation, he was a member of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, as well as the Charles Stewart Mott Award for Distinguished Education Reporting. As a Washington correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, Jim won multiple awards, including the Edward Scott Beck Award for team reporting on toxic shock syndrome. He covered the Missouri and Kansas Congressional delegations on Capitol Hill for The Kansas City Star. Jim then began writing for magazines, including Nation's Business, before becoming Editor of Publications at the National Archives. He was editor of its history magazine, Prologue, from 1999 until it ceased printed publication in 2017. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Donna Inserra Worsham; his two sons, Christopher (Emily) of Boston and Alexander of Los Angeles; and his grandson, Luke. He will be remembered as an exceptionally kind and gentle man. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Dec. 10, 2020.

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5 Entries

Group of 10 Memorial Trees

Claire Shea

Planted Trees

Jackie Budell

December 18, 2020

The National Archives will always remember what he taught us. And may new generations of colleagues refer back to what has been written before them guided by Jim's expert hand and take heed!

The fourth floor in DC will never be the same without Jim - professionally, I was thrilled when given the opportunity to learn from him. But personally, I treasured just the opportunity to run into him in the hallway and hear what was on his mind. Jim's loss saddens me greatly. Irreplaceable.

Steve Fehr

December 10, 2020

I worked with Jim at The Kansas City Star Washington Bureau. He was a delightful colleague and gifted writer. We shared a love for our home state; like me, he had Missouri sensibilities of hard work, integrity and modesty.

Steve Fehr

December 10, 2020

I worked with Jim at The Kansas City Star Washington Bureau. He was a delightful colleague and gifted writer. We shared a love for our home state; like me, he had Missouri sensibilities of hard work, integrity and modesty.

Timothy Walch

December 9, 2020

Although Jim and I never met in person, we communicated often by phone and e-mail and shared a common passion for the printed word. I preceded Jim as editor of Prologue and was so proud and pleased that he carried on and expanded the impact of the magazine. It was an exceptional flagship publication for the National Archives thanks to Jim and his hard work. He was valued and will be dearly missed by all who knew and worked with him.

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