Doris Stoermer

1967 - 2020

Doris Stoermer, Ph.D.

Doris Stoermer, 52, an artist, wife, mother, and a medicinal chemist whose research aimed to make a difference in the health of others, died June 28 in her home in Novato, California.

She was born October 30, 1967, in Chicago. She developed an interest in becoming a scientist while studying at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She then completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry at UC Berkeley, and honed her research skills as a post-doctoral fellow at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.

She met Kevin Gorski on a hike with mutual friends in the Baltimore area in the fall of 2000. He proposed in June 2002 after they watched a World Cup soccer game (USA beat Portugal and she said yes). That year they moved to the Twin Cities in Minnesota area to start work together at 3M. They married in St. Paul on August 23, 2003. In her work she was a highly valued member of a talented team pioneering new immunotherapy approaches. She authored more than 30 patents and publications in her field.

Their son arrived in fall of 2004. She loved parenting, especially reading to him and creating projects to work on together. She also recognized and nurtured his interest in music. After relocating to California in 2006, she taught chemistry including lectures and labs in the California State University system.

Doris is remembered for her beautiful, caring personality and playful sense of humor. She worked hard to understand and combat her depression and mental health challenges this year. We hope others will openly address within their families the need for societal support and care for these conditions.

In addition to her son, husband and his extended family, Larry (Barbara), Steve (Mary), Vince (Carrie) and the Walsh family, Doris is survived by her mother Inga Stoermer, her brothers Markus Stoermer and Eric Stoermer and their families, and relatives in Germany. She also loved her 4 nieces and 5 nephews dearly.

Memorial contributions may be made to Advancing Chemistry Teaching donate.acs.org. A memorial service will be held once it is safer to travel again.