Kathleen Gormley
November 10, 2021
November 10, 2021
November 10, 2021
Kathleen ‘Rosemary’ Gormley ( nee Rutherford) died peacefully November 10, 2021 in Zion Park Manor in Surrey, British Columbia where she lived for seven months.
Rosemary was born in Haldimand Township, Ontario in 1926. She lived on the farm before moving with her family to Colborne, Ontario in 1938. Rosemary graduated from high school at age 16 and worked for the local bank for two years before going to Queens University in Kingston, where she received a B.A. in English.
Rosemary met Don Gormley at Queen’s, and after marrying, they moved to northwestern Ontario, and spent summers in highway construction camps where they made lifelong friends. Along the way they had five boys.
in 1956 the family moved from Fort William, Ontario to Kamloops, B.C. Rosemary belonged to the University Woman’s Club, climbed the hills with her boys, and taught them valuable life lessons.
In 1961 the family moved to England. Rosemary was first up in the morning, building a fire in the kitchen hearth, and getting the boys off to school.
The family returned to Canada in 1963 and settled in Orillia, Ontario where Rosemary began a career as a social worker, a job she continued when the family moved to Lakefield and then to Peterborough in 1967. She managed to get her boys through high school.
When she was young, Rosemary learned to play the piano. The boys and Don often gathered around the piano to sing.
Rosemary liked curling, and once her all woman team defeated an all-male team made up of her sons.
She lost much of her sight in her late forties, but remained a voracious reader, cooked, took walks, and used video screen to do the Cryptic Crossword. She listened to CBC, and watched curling on TV.
Rosemary and Don moved to Ottawa in 1980. After Don passed away in 2016 Rosemary and son Stuart moved to Surrey.
In retirement, Rosemary and Don liked to drive to Florida near the end of winter, often going with her sister, Isabel and brother-in-law Don. They took trips with sister Dora and her friend Stan, and often drove west to see the boys, always stopping in Manitoba to see Rosemary’s brother, Andy.
Rosemary is survived by her sister-in-law, Margaret Gormley and Anne Rutherford, her sons Joe (Jan), Eric (Rocky), Stuart, David (Linda), and Stephen; seven grandchildren, ten great grandchildren; as well as nieces and nephews.
As her nephew, Ian, says, “Aunt Rosemary was always a bright light and so strong, the last warrior of a generation of warriors. I think of her beautiful smile and her delightful laugh often.”
You are invited to leave a personal message for the family.
Rosemary and Don were our great friends in Fort William when Tom and Kay Leeney, parents to my brother Peter and I, would take us on many visits to their home.
Our wonderful friendship continued over the years and we always felt very close and loving.
A visit with Rosemary was always enlightening, fun, and interesting. I had the pleasure of introducing my grandson Dodge Lenson to Rosemary when my daughter Sue Lenson and Dodge visited the Gormleys in Ottawa. Dodge took an immediate liking to Rosemary and she felt the same.
A great lady and my wife Liz and I miss her so much. My sincere condolences to the family.
We missed Rosemary after she moved to the west coast, but always kept her in our thoughts especially when we walked in our neighbourhood. She was indeed a pleasure to visit and was so easy to talk to no matter what the subject of the day! We shall always remember her quick whit and intellect. We are better for having known her.
Our thoughts are with the family. Don and Jeanne d'Arc
~ Don and Jeanne d'Arc Tompkins
A visit with Aunt Rosemary always meant it would be a very fun time! Her kindness and infectious laugh could put anyone at ease. I do believe her to be the most positive person I have ever met. The world has lost a true gem!
Our condolences to the Gormley family and a heartfelt loss of a wonderful lady as she will be missed by all.
Janet and Morris VanVolkenburg
~ Morris VanVokenburg
Truly an amazing person with an inquisitive mind. She listened and remembered details. Always a pleasure to visit with her.
~ Jim and Terry Tompkins
Rosemary was a gracious and kind woman; it was always fun to talk with her about everything from camping to curling to politics. I miss the visits we had while she lived here in Ottawa. Wonderful to see her for an outdoor picnic in BC this past summer.
~ Judith Tompkins
My condolences on the loss of your Mom. Please pass this message on to all of your family. It is always so difficult to lose a parent.
~ Dianne Reed
We were sad to hear of Rosemary's passing. She was certainly a bright light. Rosemary was patient and took time to take interest in everyone she met and we appreciated that she was so kind to our mother who was sometimes a challenge. She was a resilient, strong woman who seemed to take any challenges in stride; we admired her greatly. Our condolences to the family.
Love Paul and Monica