Dennis Lee Worley, age 73, of Harriman, TN, went home to be with his Lord & Savior on Saturday, March 22, 2025. He was born on July 14, 1951, in Harriman, TN. He lived in Harriman his entire life and graduated from Harriman High School.

He loved riding motorcycles and belonged to the Foothills Gold Wings motorcycle club of Lenoir City, TN. He also belonged to the Smoky Mountain Classic Chevy car club in Maryville, TN. Dennis was a talented guitar player and played in a high school band in his younger years. In the past several years, he dearly loved jamming with his friends, jokingly called the RoCo Rejects, on the weekends. He is lovingly remembered by his family and friends by his many stories from his life experiences.

Dennis started working at the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary as a guard and eventually was promoted to supervisor. During his tenure at the Penitentiary, he would occasionally drive an employee to Nashville, and he loved sharing stories of going backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and all of the country stars he came in contact with. He moved to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department working as a deputy. After that, he went to the Roane County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) working as a deputy, K-9 Officer, and Narcotics Investigator. He also conducted K-9 training and was a firearms instructor. After leaving the RCSO, he worked a couple of years at Dollywood as a security officer, and he loved to share stories about working with Dolly Parton. He, then, went to work at the Blount County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy. He retired from the Blount County Sheriff’s Department and went to work as a Court Security Officer, sworn in by the Federal Marshall Service, at the Federal Courthouse in Knoxville, TN, where he officially retired.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Anderson Harvey Worley and Celia Zorabelle Edwards Worley; brothers, Sonny Worley and Bob Worley; sisters, Alice Barnes, Helen Worley, and Betty Clark; and parents-in-law, Jim Smith and Sarah Smith.

He is survived by:

Loving Wife: Tracy Lynn Worley

Fur baby: Nana

Son & Daughter-in-law: Jason & Tisha Worley

Daughter and Son-in-law: Jennifer & Tim Butcher

Sister-in-law & Brother-in-law: Lisa Ann Jackson & Hershel Jackson

Grandsons: Blake & Samantha Worley, Jeremiah Worley, Ian and Jack

Granddaughters: Brittany Worley, Aria Worley, and Olivia Worley and Zoe

and a host of nieces, nephews, and special friends

The family will receive friends on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 pm ET at Evans Mortuary in Rockwood. Funeral service will follow at 7:00 pm ET with Rev. Ottis Ball officiating. Graveside and interment service will be on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 11:00 am ET in the Riggs Chapel Cemetery in Harriman. Evans Mortuary is honored to serve the family of Mr. Dennis Lee Worley.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked, at Dennis’s request, donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.