A Hoosier Boy's Journey

Donald Wortman grew up in a world of which most young people of today have no direct knowledge or experience. In the little town of Morristown, Indiana, during the Great Depression and later, WWII, his family had no TV, internet, electronic games or cell phones. They communicated with friends, family, and neighbors face to face or with the hand-cranked phone on the wall. But Morristown provided him with a strong, hard-working family and almost unlimited opportunities to develop his skills, abilities, self-reliance and imagination. From birth in 1934, through his formative years until high school graduation, Don enjoyed a secure home in a close-knit town where he and his friends had many “Huck Finn”-type adventures.

After high school graduation in 1952, Don attended Butler University and then Indiana University where he distinguished himself as a student. These years were sadly interrupted by the death of his father, Lyall, as well as by a stint in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. Throughout his years in college and in the army, he benefitted from the solid family foundation in which he had been brought up. Failure was not an option. Hard work, perseverance, and good character were the values that had been instilled in him. His independence as well as all the many practical skills he had developed in Morristown would prove to be invaluable in his future.

After marriage and receiving his PhD in physics, Don embarked on a career filled with accomplishments, such as his many publications, inventions, patents, awards, and eventually co-founding a laser business. Throughout his career, he always exhibited the self-reliance, creativity, and strong work ethic he developed as a young man in Morristown, Indiana. As they say, “You can take the boy out of Morristown, but you can’t take Morristown out of the boy”.