John Gorman III

1953 - 2022

John Gorman III
August 10, 1953 - August 22, 2022
Modesto, California - John Lawrence Gorman III died August 22nd, 2022, in Modesto, where he had lived and worked as an attorney for more than 30 years. Big John, as he was known to family and friends, was born in southern California and attended Mater Dei High School, where he played basketball and made life-long friends. He received his bachelor's degree from California State University, Fullerton, a master's degree in psychology from Chico State, and his law degree from Santa Clara University. He married the love of his life, Bethany Ann Martus, in 1977, who stood by him as he worked in student housing while pursuing his higher education goals. They loved to travel together, often finding adventures in their RV. They have three children, Hallie, John and Claire, and have five grandchildren. He loomed large, not only in his height, but also in his generosity and kindness. He was known to love "dad" jokes, sharing them on a daily basis. He was a prior Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He was voted Modesto's Favorite Lawyer several times and was a member and performer with Townsend Opera Players. John is survived by his wife and three children; their spouses and significant others, Ryan, Natalie and Jasmine; grandchildren River, Chloe, Evangeline, Marigold and Augustine; and his sisters Julie and Jan. Franklin and Downs will be handling funeral services at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.