KENNETH P. GORMAN,
Of White Horse Beach, died Friday afternoon, July 4, 2014, at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth after a lengthy illness. He was 93.
Born, raised and educated in Watertown, he was the son of the late William and Jessie (MacAuley) Gorman. Mr. Gorman had resided in Brockton, Randolph, Avon and Stoughton and enjoyed spending time at White Island Pond, Plymouth.
In 1951 he went to work for General Electric of Lynn as a contractor where he was contracted to design a coil winding machine for them given his previous experience in winding coils. He was paid $ 6,000.00 for that first machine. Soon he had a check for 25,000 dollars for his first major job and he had the funds to create and expand his own business, Gorman Machine. Although Gorman Machine Corp has its roots as a coil winding contracting business it evolved into being a dedicated manufacturer of coil winding machines. The machines were improved upon due to the original needs of the business to have a quality machine which could provide consistent results. Mr. Gorman opened his first major manufacturing facility in Randolph in 1953. In the late 60's he made a move to California but the economy went into recession and he moved his operations back to Massachusetts. In 1979 Mr. Gorman had a new facility built in an industrial park in Brockton which has been there ever since continuing the production of coil winding machines.
Mr. Gorman readily admits that he was in the right place at the right time as so many opportunities in life come to us but he capitalized on that chance and celebrated over 62 years in business continuing working well after retirement age until his health prevented him from coming to work at the age of 92.
A Veteran of WW II, he served with the Coast Guard as a Radioman 3rd Class and received the American Theatre Ribbon, the WW II Victory Ribbon and the European-African Campaign Medal with Engagement Star.
A member of various civic, trade, community and professional organizations in the Brockton Area, he was a lifelong swimmer, marksman and licensed pilot.
Mr. Gorman is survived by his daughters, Diane Sanford and her husband, Frederic of White Horse Beach and Michele Gorman of Florida and his sons, Daniel Gorman of Plymouth, William Gorman of Hawaii and Robert Gorman and his wife, Helenmarie of Florida. He is also survived by his 4 grandchildren 4 great grandchildren, his former spouses, Virginia (Daniels) Kindem of Avon and Liselotte (Kuehl) Bader of Florida and his many nieces, nephews and grandnieces and nephews.
Mr. Gorman was predeceased by his sisters, Marjorie Snider and Lorraine Taylor.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Funeral Services in Celebration of Ken’s Life on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at the Roache - Pushard Family Funeral Home, 210 Sherman Street, Canton. Interment with Military Honors will follow at the Canton Corner Cemetery. The Gorman Family will welcome guests at the Funeral Home on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, 251 Post Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94108 or www.glaucoma.org.