Wildridge (Bill) H Gorman's Obituary
Wildridge "Bill" Gorman's character was one of inventiveness, industriousness, and compassion. His mind perpetually working on novel creations, his patents were only a small portion of the truly unique capacity to his vision. His hands were constantly at work in his shop, bringing those visions to life. Little of what he did was for his own benefit - he lived to bring joy to others, always putting his needs on hold for what could help someone else regardless of their relationship, be it a friend, family, neighbor, or organization.
Born in Portland, Oregon in 1936, he was the child of WWII shipyards; a childhood of adventure, independence, and discovery. His mother, Louise, worked as the embodiment of Rosie the Riveter, and he gained his life inspiration from grandfather Glenn Lewis; “Grandpap” to all who knew him. His best childhood friend, Truman Jones, shared many of those experiences with him. They formed a brotherly bond that survived the rest of his life, and was the subject of many of Bill’s intricately woven, fantastic, but entirely true stories.
Bill didn’t grow up with much family in his life, so he naturally built his own. He met Carol Ann LeBouef and they were married in 1960, having the first of their three children, Geoff, while living in California to work in drag racing. Automobiles and racing were his passion, yet family was always more important, which took him back to Vancouver, Washington to work for ALCOA and provide for his wife and children. His children weren’t the only ones he became a father for, as Carol’s many nieces and nephews were all treated as his own; he was always a father figure to anyone that needed it.
When his youngest child finished schooling, they moved to Gig Harbor and began what became a storied career at Milgard Windows, designing patents for self-closing window latches that are still in use by the company. After his retirement, he continued to travel for the company as an emeritus engineer, attending conferences and being an ambassador for Milgard. He did this all without a formal education beyond high school.
Life in Gig Harbor with Bill and Carol was one of community; he was the support system that made Carol’s volunteer work come to life, he was a friend to many, and he was close friend to a lucky few, sharing large events and intimate Sunday breakfasts. From firing his family’s working signal cannon to start the Gig Harbor Maritime Festival Parade, to building display cabinets for the Harbor History Museum, to removing the subjectivity from the Round Rock Competition, they worked as a team to bring life to the city. Unfortunately, the loss of Carol in 2007 brought an end to that team, and the tragic loss of his youngest son, Christopher, became a low point in his life.
However, that low point was when he found something he didn’t think he would know again – a new love and newfound happiness in Sandy Wagner, whom me married in Walla Walla in 2008. Together, they weathered the loss of his son’s widow, Anna Gorman, but they also shared the joy of his granddaughter Alex, the coming of age of his grandsons Cole and Max Gorman, and visiting his daughter Vikkie’s work at racetracks around the world as she found a husband in Daniel Louks and shared his career in the IndyCar Series.
Sandy’s family brought to Bill new lives to share, where there was always time for her children Amy, Frank, Kari, and her grandchildren Kyla, Alijah, Karly, and Jude. Like his own children and grandchildren, he never missed a game or school event and he was always an active observer.
His support soon gravitated to his wife’s real estate ventures, building signs, staging, and repairing homes as needed. His work around Gig Harbor also never ended as his daughter-in-law Mary Gorman took Carol’s mantle in the family as volunteer and community activist.
In his 80 years on this Earth, he accomplished so much for so many; his legacy lives on in everyone he touched and everything he made. He loved reading about history, but he also made his own. His humility may not have allowed his name to be directly tied to much of his work, but those that know Bill Gorman will never forget his hands in his pockets, his hat on his head, and his smile in his eyes.
We already miss you, Bill, and the time that passes is only going to make it harder, not easier.
Please join us in a celebration of Bill's life being held at 1:00/PM on Friday, August 5, 2016 at the Gig Harbor Yacht Club, 8209 Stinson Ave. Gig Harbor WA. Family and friends kindly invited.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Bill's memory to the Harbor History Museum at http://harborhistorymuseum.org/
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