Mourning a Friend

While it hurts so much right now, we are thankful he was a part of our lives and he will be missed each and every day of our tomorrows!

Michael Patrick “Mike” Gorman, passed away June 30, 2013 at Baptist Medical Center Nassau. He was only 49 years old, and a very good friend.

We met Mike in 2011 when he purchased Second Amendment, a gun shop and indoor shooting range in Nassau County, Florida. Following his dream of owning a business he was passionate about, he became an “Arms Dealer”, buying, selling and trading firearms. He firmly believed in not messing with success, so loyal customers experienced a smooth transition and he renamed the company Second Amendment Outfitters, LLC with a vision to someday branch out into other outdoor sports and services.

Similar political opinions, an insane sense of humor, the love of the outdoors and being an avid Washington Redskins fan gave our families many immediate and obvious common interests that created a ton of “inside” jokes in a short amount of time.

His wife, Mary, was still settling their affairs in Virginia and he proudly admitted we would really like her, probably more than we like him, once we finally met – and once we got to know Mary, too, we told him he was right, “We do like her more than we like you!”

My husband Lawrence joined Mike on his boat to fill him in on local fishing tips and shared the best Loran numbers to fish wrecks and other favorite locations.

We would go to the beach to play Bocce, surf fish or toss around a Frisbee. Together, we attended community events and chamber functions. We are all Monday morning quarterbacks, so Sundays in the fall were spent watching football and yelling at the television; at home or in one of the local sports bars.

It quickly became natural to share family events, too, hosting a party or planning a camping trip. We were always discussing the music scene and attended local concerts. The men loved to cook on the grill, and we enjoyed many delicious meals together. We were recently discussing booking a cruise to celebrate our birthdays; Mary, Mike and I were all born in 1963 and would have all turned 50 this year.

Common ground was found in our children, too. They have a daughter away in college, and we have a daughter away in college. Our youngest children are less than one month apart in age and heading to college in the fall. Our grown son, Alex, became fast friends with Mike, too.

When our grandson came to live with us after a devastating tornado destroyed his school, Mike took to Jason right away, taking him on his first boat ride on the Atlantic Ocean and hoisting him up on his shoulder to venture further from the shore into the sea.

There are so many wonderful memories we shared in such a short time, it truly is a blessing our lives crossed paths with theirs. His passing has left a void in our souls and he will be painfully missed.

Mike leaves behind his wife of 25 years, Mary Walsh Gorman, Fernandina Beach, FL; their daughter, Margaret Anne (Maggie) Gorman, a rising senior at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; their son, Michael David Gorman, Fernandina Beach and an incoming freshman at West Virginia University; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pat (Rita) Gorman, II, Charleston, SC; two brothers, Patrick Gorman, III (Cheryl), Annapolis, MD and Ryan Gorman (Nina), Santa Marta, Magdalena, Columbia, SA; two sisters, Christa Ray (Lawrence), Boulder, CO; and Victoria “Vicki” Gorman (Greg Karr), Salt Lake City, UT; a niece, Brigid, and a nephew, P.J. (Patrick Joseph, IV); his in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. David (Marianne) Walsh, Fayetteville, PA; and a sister-in-law, Kara Walsh of Chicago, IL.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at St. Michael Catholic Church, Fernandina Beach, FL with Father Jose Kallukalum, officiating.

Mike’s family will receive friends on Monday from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Oxley Heard Funeral Home.