MILLBURN, NJ--Patrick James O’Gorman, 92, formerly of Palm City, FL, passed away peacefully at his home at YourLife of Palm Beach Gardens, on February 2, 2020.
Pat was born in Newark, New Jersey to Francis and Ellen (Coghlan) O’Gorman, recent immigrants from Ireland. After his 1944 graduation from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, Pat joined the Navy and served in Washington, DC during WWII. Quick with a smile, a joke, a story, or a hearty handshake, he was a natural salesman and tried his hand at several businesses. A lover of music, he opened a store, Variety Records, in Millburn, NJ in the early 1960s, but spent most of his career in machine tool sales at Stephenson Machinery Co. in Kenilworth, eventually acquiring the business and then retiring in 1993 to Palm City, Florida.
Pat was blessed with excellent health most of his life, and along with family time, enjoyed baking, gardening, bowling, and plenty of golf. He had bragging rights to two holes in one, the last at the age of 85. He volunteered faithfully in activities and associations to help others, including a long term commitment to the Knights of Columbus, serving as Grand Knight at St. Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills, NJ and as a Eucharistic Minister at Holy Redeemer Church in Palm City, FL.
Pat is survived by his wife of 65 years, JoAnne (Ryan), to whom he was devoted, and by their children: Kevin O’Gorman and his wife Sharon of San Diego, CA, Kerry Pearson and her husband Mark of Bedford, MA, and Kathleen Olsen and her husband Ken of Jupiter, FL, as well as seven grandchildren – Matthew, Chris and his wife Mariah, P.J., Sean and his wife Katie, Laura, Kira, and Ryan. He was predeceased by his son Christopher, as well as his three sisters, Betty, Peggy and Nora. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Richard Ryan and his wife Nan, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held 4-8 PM on Thursday, February 13 at Forest Hills Funeral Home, 2001 SW Murphy Road, Palm City, FL. The funeral service will be on Friday, February 14 at 10 AM at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 1454 SW Mapp Rd, Palm City, FL.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Patrick’s memory to The Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org, or the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
The Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org, or the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.