David F. Gormley

David F. Gormley, 84, passed away on Oct. 7 after an extended hospital stay in his home city of Denver, Colo., with his family close at hand. Dave (known to many close friends since high school days as "Gump"?) was a native of Swampscott, a town he loved and to which he returned  as often as possible. He was a graduate of Swampscott High, class of '51, and of UMass, Amherst, class of '55, where a number of his Kappa Sigma brothers became friends for life. Following a brief service of remembrance in the chapel at Swampscott Cemetery on Friday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m., his ashes will be interred in the family gravesite there. Dave leaves his beloved wife of 64 years, Mary Lou (Carroll). They were married at St. John the Evangelist. Together they raised six children, Kathleen, Nancy, John and Rob, all of Denver, David of Steamboat Springs, Colo., and Patrick of Annapolis, Md. He also leaves nine wonderful grandchildren and a younger brother, Robert, of Westport. He enjoyed a successful career as an insurance executive and had been active in his local Catholic parish in Denver. He was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus and served as recent Past Grand Knight of Council #13301, which he helped found at Risen Christ Parish. A funeral Mass was held in his honor there on Oct. 19. He would want it made clear, however, that he was always a Swampscott kid and, despite his distance from New England all these years, that he remained a faithful fan of our Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics. A formidable collection of caps and sweatshirts remains to prove it.