Rev. John Phillip Gorsuch

Gorsuch, Rev. John (Jack) Phillip Passed away on February 15, 2017 at age 85. Jack, a native of Denver, was a graduate of Wesleyan University and Yale Divinity School. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1956 and served churches in Washington, D.C.; Great Bend, Kansas; Yakima, Washington and Seattle, where he served as rector at Epiphany Parish for 17 years. Jack was a member of various community groups and boards including mental health agencies and the Urban League. He also appeared as a panelist on the weekly TV program, "Challenge," a very popular program featuring a Jewish rabbi, Catholic priest, and Protestant minister exchanging views on a variety of topics. In the early 1980's, Jack and his wife Bev, a psychotherapist, brought together their professional skills and experience in order to teach and write about the spiritual life. Jack spent time at a Benedictine monastery in New Mexico, the Ananda Community in California, a center established by Swami Kriyananda, and the Chinook Learning Community on Whidbey Island. In 1985, he left Epiphany to dedicate his time to the founding of the Center for Spiritual Development in Seattle. The book that Jack wrote with his family's input and support -- An Invitation to the Spiritual Journey -- was published by the Paulist Press in 1990. Jack retired as Executive Director of the Center for Spiritual Development in 1992 but continued his ministry of the spirit by offering workshops and leading retreats on the spiritual life while living in California, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin where he retired with Bev in 2014 to be closer to their daughter Meg. Jack is survived by his wife of 61 years, Beverly Colville Gorsuch, loving daughters Anne Gorsuch (Hal Siden) and Meg Hopkins (Jim Best), brother Keith (Carol) Gorsuch, late siblings David Gorsuch and Diane Kepner, as well as grandchildren Hannah Siden, Ellie Siden, and Connor Hopkins. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017 in the Chapel at St. John's on the Lake, 1840 Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee. There will be no visitation. Service at 2:00 PM. Reception immediately after service at St. John's. In lieu of flowers, donations are gratefully accepted to the Episcopal Relief Fund.