Mary Gorman

Mary “Colleen” Gorman, 66, of Des Plaines, IL, passed away on January 23, 2022. She leaves a lasting legacy of love: adored aunt to Jacob Gorman (Aileen), Maggie Reagan, Kelsey Waugh (Tyler), Maura Reagan (Jake Parrot), and Kaitlyn Gorman (Adam Weidner); treasured godmother to Francesco Geraci; devoted sister to John Gorman (Susan), Ellen Reagan (Chris), and Tim Gorman (Jill); cherished friend to Mark Geraci and Judy Presta, among many others; and beloved cousin and niece. She was preceded in death by her father, Kay; mother, Louise (McDonald); and brother, Mark Kevin. Born in Princeton, Illinois November 4, 1955, Colleen grew up in Ohio, Illinois, graduating Ohio High School in 1973. She earned her BS in Nursing from Marycrest College, Davenport, IA, in 1977 and her MA in Organization Development from Loyola University, Chicago, IL, in 1991. She began her nursing career at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, IL, relocating to the Chicago area in 1978, where she pursued various nursing and practice management positions that took her from Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge to the Prucare/Northcare Medical Group in Evanston. Beginning in 1988, she worked for Lutheran General Medical Group (now Advocate), rising from practice manager to associate administrator overseeing 12 practices. From 1998 until her retirement in 2019, Colleen worked at Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital (Now Lurie Children’s) in numerous capacities, including directing the multi-year, organization-wide implementation of their electronic medical record. She ended her Lurie tenure as senior director of the IM Project Management Office. Her volunteer work was just as extensive, starting in the ’90s with Well Streams Center of Feminine Spirituality in Chicago, where she served on the board. In 2000, she was commissioned as a spiritual director through the Institute of Spiritual Companionship, and in 2014 she received certification in Advance Care Planning (end-of-life wishes) through the Gunderson Health System in LaCrosse, WI. She has sung with Hilde Girls, a national group inspired by the music and teachings of 12th century mystic Hildegard of Bingen, since 2002, and with the Threshold Choir (Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care) since 2010. During the pandemic, Colleen became involved with The Well Spirituality Center in La Grange Park, IL, where she joined the board in July and recently facilitated an advent event called Revolutionary Love, based on the work of Valarie Kaur. A member of Chicago’s Old St. Pat’s parish for nearly 40 years, Colleen poured her heart, soul, and considerable intellect into many programs there, most recently participating in and leading the JustFaith program, which gave birth to the Racial Equity & Justice Initiative (REJI), where her leadership was instrumental in encouraging transformative kinship and radical inclusivity through programs like Courageous Conversations. She was also involved with the North Lawndale Kinship Initiative. Blessed with extraordinary creativity, Colleen was a needlepoint artisan and harpist. No one will forget her laugh, or her penchant for breaking into song mid-sentence. Visitation will be Thursday, February 10, 5 to 8 p.m., at Cumberland Chapels, 8300 W. Lawrence Ave., Norridge, IL. Readings and reflections will be given the top of every hour, and the visitation will be available on Zoom, registration here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vde-grD8rGtEScl9OT5m2WwJl9yWzLePl.
The funeral Mass will be Friday, February 11, 9:30 a.m., at Old St. Pat’s, 700 W. Adams St., Chicago. It will be livestreamed here: https://www.livestream.com/oldstpats. (Colleen spent her entire career in the healthcare profession; she would not want anyone risking their health in these unprecedented times.) Private interment St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ohio, IL. In lieu of flowers, donations to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation, Dept. 4586, Carol Stream, IL 60122-4586; Harmony Hope & Healing, 703 W. Monroe, Chicago, IL 60661; and The Well, 1515 W. Ogden Ave., La Grange Park, IL 60526 would be appreciated