I Am Wilshire – Jenna Worthen.
Hometown: American Fork, Utah
Education: BA, English Literature, Brigham Young University, 1948; MA, Theatre, Southern Methodist University
Profession: Theatre faculty (retired), SMU
Present City: Dallas
Tell us about your family.
My family is my joy. I have six children. We stay in close touch with constant notes and supportive ideas. Their lives, children, work, education and accomplishments are all aspects of my daily life. One son lives in Dallas and helps me greatly. The others live coast to coast, and all have chosen work that is in some way beneficial to the greater good of others. Two are medical physicians, one is a PhD in speech correction, and the others include a librarian, psychologist and real estate investor. I have 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. My husband was a research physician and a pediatric nephrologist. He died too soon of a heart attack. Before he died, we took countless trips for meetings and research gatherings in enormous cities in various parts of the world. One of these was a two-year assignment in Saudi Arabia at the King Faisal Hospital where he did research in nephrology specifically for the Bedouin population in that country. That meant two years of my learning, questioning, and attempting to understand the Arab culture from an American woman’s point of view.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Travel, study of music (instrumental and vocal), and especially reading. For almost 20 years I gave weekly presentations about important historical and current figures to the residents of C. C. Young Retirement Village.
What brought you to Wilshire?
A colleague at SMU had visited Wilshire and told me of the high level of questioning among the congregation, which leads to better efforts, especially in our immediate neighborhood and city. That excites my curiosity. I visited and I decided to join.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
The various choirs inspire me as does all the music. I am completely engrossed in the Compass Class studies, in the program and purpose of the class.
What has surprised you most about Wilshire?
Its high expectations. I find it among the most inspirational churches I have ever visited or been a part of in my long, long life. I like its extending itself to the community and of truly bringing its members to a more purposeful life.
What’s something interesting most people wouldn’t know about you?
I do a lot of writing, now memories of travel in journal form; the stories occur often as my life extends.
What adjectives describe you?
Curious, loving, optimistic, grateful for God’s love and my being an integral part of God’s plan.
- If you’d like to be featured in “I Am Wilshire,” email Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.