Ojay Hansen Worrell died Monday, May 19, 2003, in Denver. He was 79.

He was born on Aug. 25, 1923 in Oklahoma City, Okla., to Otto James and Vera Stull Worrell. At four years of age, Ojay and his parents moved to Glenwood Springs where they built and managed one of the town’s first motor courts. He attended school in Glenwood Springs and graduated from Garfield County High School in 1941.

Mr. Worrell attended the University of Colorado in Boulder where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and was commissioned an ensign in the United States Naval Reserve. He served in the United States Navy in World War II in the Pacific theater as a Navy lieutenant on an ammunition ship and later on an attack transport ship.

On Dec. 3, 1944, he married his high school sweetheart, Marcella Keegan, at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Glenwood Springs. She survives.

After the war, he completed his college education and received a bachelor of science degree in business administration. He then resided in Glenwood Springs where he owned and operated Worrell-Moscon Conoco. He later moved his family to Phoenix, Ariz., where he worked in sales, and in 1961, returned to Glenwood Springs where he and his wife owned and operated Holland Auto Parts for over 30 years.

Mr. Worrell served on the city council of Glenwood Springs for numerous years and was the mayor from 1970 to 1972. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks Lodge, and Kiwanis Club. He was also a founding member of the ROMEO group of Glenwood Springs.

Mr. Worrell was known for his love of family, zest for life, strong sense of patriotism, generosity, and extraordinary sense of humor. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and sports of all kinds, and was a fervent supporter of area athletics. He took immense pleasure in spending time with his many friends.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marcie; by sons and daughter-in-law Stephen James and Elisabeth Worrell of Glenwood Springs and Gregory Hansen Worrell of Denver; by daughters and sons-in-law Maureen Dee and Luke Bradshaw of Glenwood Springs, Ann Keegan and James Nadon of Glenwood Springs; by grandchildren Lisa Worrell Dickson, Hillary Ann Mayfield, Cesily Mayfield Miller, Ashley Nadon and Keegan Nadon; and by great-grandchildren Taylor and Stephen Dickson, Nathaniel Gauthier and Jordan and Morgan Miller.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 2, at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Glenwood Springs. Donations may be made to St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, 1010 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs, CO 71601.