William "Bill" Gorman

Called by many "The Nicest Man in Waukesha", Bill Gorman passed away January 9, 2008 at age 94 at HospiceCare Residence in Fitchburg, WI. William P. "Bill" Gorman was born at Waukesha Memorial Hospital on January 7, 1914 where his Aunt Eleanor Evans (Later Davies) was a Hospital Administrator. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Theophile (Smith) Gorman of Waukesha and Middleton, WI, his parents John P. Gorman, who lived to be 100 years old and Mae (Evans) Gorman of Waukesha and Brother Robert (Dorothy) Gorman of Missoula, MT. He is survived by his siblings Jack (Jeanne) Gorman and Eleanor (Earl) Tetzlaff of Arlington, TX and children Kathleen (Harry) Marshall of Lake Tomahawk, WI, Carole (Loren) Ziglin of Cross Plains, WI, 4 grandchildren - Cpt. Harry (Amy) Marshall of San Clemente, CA currently serving with the U.S. Marines in Iraq, Erin (Paul) Bierwagen of Dallas, TX, Kimberly (Bradley) Bishop of Middleton, WI, Nicholas (Nikki Fortin) Marshall of Grays Lake, IL and 7 great-grandchildren. Bill graduated from Waukesha High School in 1932 and attended Carroll College where he met his wife-to-be Theophile Smith in the registration line. He also attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison studying mechanical engineering. Growing up, he worked at Waukesha Memorial Hospital doing odd jobs, Waukesha Engine and caddied summers at The Moor Downs (now Moorland) Golf Course. Bill was baptized at St. Matthias Episcopal Church and was married to Theophile Smith in the chapel on June 28, 1941. Employed at Butler Bin Co. in Waukesha, he worked as a Superintendent and Personnel Manager from 1938 to 1967. He worked at Wisconsin Bridge and Iron for 3 years in Milwaukee as a sales engineer and at RTE-ASEA, now Waukesha Electric Systems for 13 years as a Manufacturing Engineer until 1984 when he retired at the age of 70. He also was a founder/owner of a Ready-Mix Concrete Company in Fond du Lac for many years as well as founder and President of Remco Manufacturing, a company that manufactured cement filters and aerators. He volunteered in a variety of capacities for a number of organizations. He served as President of the Whittier Elementary School PTA, in Jaycees of Waukesha, was a 30 yr+ member of the Sunrise Rotary Club as well as a Paul Harris Fellow. He was Chairman of the Waukesha Red Feather Charitable Campaign (forerunner of the United Way) in 1961. Bill was a member of DeMolay, Masonic Chapter of Waukesha and served on the City of Waukesha Board of Review for property assessments and the Waukesha Industrial Safety Commission. His hobbies included fishing, golfing, camping, horseshoes, vegetable gardening, bridge, sheepshead and dancing. He was a member of many golf leagues at Moor Downs and other area golf courses and bowling leagues at Sunset Bowl in Waukesha. At St. Matthias Episcopal Church, he served in many capacities - as an assistance Boy Scout Troop leader, head of the vestry, Janitor, usher and Sunday School teacher. Bill was considered an excellent ballroom dancer, taking dance lessons for many years and along with his wife was a member of the Footnotes dance club. Bill and Theophile traveled and camped for many years in a travel trailer throughout the US and Canada with friends and grandchildren. They also traveled to Mexico and Europe. He was a member of the Vagabonds Camping group. For 22 years in retirement, he was a snowbird to the Valle Del Oro Resort in Mesa, Arizona where he and his wife owned a 2nd home. They enjoyed many friends and good times between both their homes in Mesa and Waukesha. They sold their Waukesha home of 52 years on E. Wabash Ave. in 2005 and moved to a senior apartment complex, Middleton Glen in Middleton, WI to be near family. Bill will be sadly missed by family, his many friends and all his caregivers. Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 13, 2008 from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at Randle-Dable Funeral Home, 1110 S. Grand Ave., Waukesha. Services will continue on Monday, January 14 at St. Matthias Episcopal Church, 111 E. Main St., Waukesha, with visitation from 10:30 A.M. until the 11:00 A.M. Funeral Mass. Burial will follow at Prairie Home Cemetery. Memorials are appreciated to St. Matthias Episcopal Church Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 824, Waukesha, WI 53187, HospiceCare Center, 5395 E. Cheryl Pkwy, Madison, WI or The Rotary Foundation, 1560 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201. For further information, please call Randle-Dable Funeral, Cremation and Preplanning Services at (262) 547-4035, or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com for directions or to leave an on-line tribute.