Betty Louise Gorman
Betty Louise Gorman, age 88 of New Hampton, died Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at her home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton with the Rev. Nick Radloff celebrating the Mass.
Interment will take place at a later date.
Friends may greet the family from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton where there will be a 7 p.m. Parish Scripture Service. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass on Tuesday at the church.
If you’re unable to attend please join the family via livestream https://foveo.stream/hugeback-johnson/betty-l-gorman.
Betty’s long and well-lived life began in New Hampton on Nov. 26, 1934, when William and Arlene (Boos) Denner welcomed their first child into the world. She grew up in the city, attended school, and was a graduate of the Class of 1952 at New Hampton High School.
Betty and her friends loved to go dancing at Club Iowa in Charles City, and Betty always hoped that she’d see a handsome young man named Jack Gorman at the club. Once they did meet, the spark was lit and never flamed out. The two began dating, fell in love, and were married on June 25, 1955.
The Gormans had six children — Barb, Bev, Tom, Mike, Jim, and Karen — and while Jack ran his tire business, Betty ran the household. She and Jack were their children’s biggest supporters and loved attending their school events and games.
When Karen headed off to first grade, Betty went to work at the First National Bank, where she served as a teller until the late 1990s before retiring and volunteering at Comprehensive Systems.
Betty had many interests. She and Jack loved to bowl, and both served as league secretaries. Over the years, Betty participated in a number of state bowling tournaments.
The Gormans, through a church program called CFM, became lifelong friends with the Hugebacks, Lunemanns, and O’Neills, and the families did almost everything together — including hosting picnics and heading over to Clear Lake for fun-filled weekends. Betty also enjoyed golfing with Jack and playing bridge with her card club friends.
Betty continued to play cards, especially euchre, right up to her passing. Jim, Arlie, Mary Jean, Rose, and Stan were her card partners and were a big part of Betty’s life.
In 1967, she began what remains a Gorman tradition to this day as the family made the trek to Walker, Minnesota, to spend a week at Leech Lake. Over the years, the event has just gotten bigger and bigger.
Betty and Jack were big Iowa Hawkeye fans and attended a number of games at Kinnick Stadium. They also traveled to several bowl games to root on the Hawks, but her favorite team was the New Hampton Chickasaws. She rarely, if ever, missed her grandchildren’s games, meets, and tournaments, and that included the grandkids who went on to play college sports.
Betty also enjoyed traveling with friends and saw a good part of the world on vacations to places like Hawaii, the Bahamas, Colorado, Australia, and Normandy. Betty always liked exploring the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.
Her family and her community always came first. Betty and Jack were named the first “Parents of the Year” by the University of Northern Iowa when Barb, Bev, and Tom were all attending the school. She was a member of the PEO Sisterhood and Rosary Society at St. Joe’s, where for years she ran the “Country Store” during the Fall Festival.
Betty had a wonderful zest for life, and all those who knew her will deeply miss her. But, they also know that she is reunited with Jack today, in a far better place.
Betty is survived by three daughters, Barb Gorman (Jeff Spreen) of Walker, Minnesota, Bev (Troy) Coody of Longmont, Colorado, and Karen (Rick) Clemens of New Hampton; three sons, Tom (Lisa) Gorman of Rosemount, Minnesota, Mike (Carie) Gorman of New Hampton and Jim (Janet) Gorman of New Hampton; 19 grandchildren, Andrew Spreen, T.K. (Christina) Coody, Katie (Kirk) Mitchell, Seth Gorman, Lydia Gorman, Zach (Amanda) Gorman, Tyler (Abby) Gorman, Ryan Gorman, Conner Gorman, Craig (Nicole) Volk, Kristin (Aaron) Anderson, Ryan (Kristin) Volk, Holli (Kaleb) Staack, Nicole (Brett Johnson) Mulford, Matt Mulford, Josh (Jennifer) Clemens, Ericca (Chad Wilking) Clemens, Stephanie (Brent) Sands, and Mitchell (Taylor) Clemens; 12 great-grandchildren with one on the way; and one brother, Glen (Judy) Denner of Oak Grove, Alabama.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Jack, in 2018.
