George Gorman

1924 - 2021

George Gorman
July 3, 2021
Kansas City, Kansas - George Gorman was born on July 10, 1924 to Ann Car and Nicholas Gorman. He graduated from St. John the Baptist grade school in 1938 and from Wyandotte High School in 1942.
In 1943 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and assigned to the Air Force. He was sent to Texas Tech as an aviator student for pre-flight training. After graduating he was assigned to a Flying Fortress (B-17) crew as a gunner and sent to England with the 8th Air Force. He flew on 14 missions and was awarded 2 Air Medals, 5 Battle Stars and the French Legion of Honor Medal. When the war was over in Europe, barely 21 years old and without any legal training, he was appointed the non-commission office of the Courts and Boards of the 96th Bomb Group where he served until, he was discharged in January of 1946.
He enrolled at the University of Kansas in the fall of 1946 where he served as the first president of the new Oread Hall, a dormitory of 160 veterans of World War II. He was also the left field starter of the KU baseball team. He received a letter from the Kansas governor thanking him for signing the petition that allowed black students to participate in Big 7 athletics.
After two years he left KU for a sales position with Swift and Company. In 1947 he was introduced to the love of his life, Kathryn Sambol. They were married in 1949 and were blessed with 5 daughters and a son. It was a happy marriage with trips to Hawaii, Spain, North Africa and family vacations to Disneyland, Disneyworld, Grand Canyon, Mexico and the California Coast. Kathryn died in 1985 from ovarian cancer.
He left Swift and Company in 1954 for the position of Sales Manager and eventually plant manager of Sambol Packing Company. In 1980 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Brotherhood Bank and Trust where he served as chairman of the Loan and Discount Committee for 40 years. George was always grateful to the bank for the strong support they gave to him and his many charitable endeavors. George also served on the Board of Providence Hospital and the greater Kansas City Hospital Association. He served as a governor of the American Royal. He was civic minded and sat on the committee for the unification of the Kansas City Kansas and Wyandotte County governments.
George was a proud, devoted Catholic. He was past president of St. John Catholic Club, past president of the Serra Club, Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, a member of the men's club of the Sisters Servants of Mary, and also served as a lay minister and lector.
George had close ties and affection for Strawberry Hill, but his first love was for historic James Street and the West Bottoms where he grew up and had many friends of all backgrounds and nationalities.
George loved all sports and played baseball at the parochial, high school, legion, college, and semi-pro level. His first love was golf where he had a couple holes-in-one and a number of club tournament trophies to his credit.
In 1989 George married Virginia Buford. She preceded him in death in August of 2016.
George was preceded in death by his parents, 5 brothers, Tony, Joey, Mickey, Johnny and Mike and six sisters, Rose Harris, Mary Czarlinsky, Louise Lastelick, Catherine Brunski, Barbara Kolich and Anna Zeleznak, and son-in-law David Dickey.
George is survived by his children Jeanne Gorman, Joan Dickey, Janet Hoven (Don), June Gorman, Jackie Kindred (Doug), and George Patrick Gorman (Cadey); his grandchildren Zachary Gorman Rau, David (Stacey) Jackson, Michael (Trudi) Jackson, Kathryn, William and Gorman Thomas Hoven, Rose Kindred, Abby and Caroline Gorman and his great grandchildren, Brenden Dawley, Trella, Charles and Collin Jackson. He is also survived by a ton of nieces and nephews who he loved and rejoiced in their many accomplishments.
A Rosary will be prayed at 3:45 PM with a visitation to follow from 4-7:00 PM, Wednesday, July 7, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 416 N. 14th St., Kansas City, KS. Funeral Mass will be 10:00 AM Thursday, July 8, at the Cathedral of St. Peter. Donations may be made in his memory to the Cathedral of St. Peter or Bishop Ward High School, Kansas City, Kansas. Condolences may be expressed at: www.porterfuneralhome.com