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James Ward
(Jim) Gorman, Jr. passed away peacefully
at his home this week in San Antonio,
Texas at the age of 90. He was born in
Wichita Falls, Texas on August 11, 1930,
the son of James Ward (Wardie) Gorman
and wife Ara Pauline (Polly) Gorman. Jim
met his future wife, Rowena Ione (Tena)
Cain while attending the University of
Oklahoma. A member of the Phi Gamma
Delta fraternity, Jim graduated in 1952
with a B.S. degree in Geology. He
married his sweetheart Tena that same
year. Through the ROTC Program at the
University, Jim began his service in the
United States Air Force when he was
commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and
deployed to serve in the Korean War in
1952-53. He was discharged as a First
Lieutenant in 1954. |
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After
returning from active duty, Jim and Tena
settled in San Antonio where Jim went to
work as a geologist in his father's oil
business, the Gorman Drilling Company.
During that time, they were blessed with
three children: James Ward (Jimmy)
Gorman III, David Alan Gorman and Amy
Ione Gorman Ellis. Jim and Tena recently
celebrated their 68th anniversary, of an
exemplary marriage of mutual support,
dedication, devotion and love. |
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After the
severe downturn in the oil business in
1963, Jim traveled to New York City to
study for and obtain his securities
license to start a new career with the
Wall Street brokerage firm of Dewar,
Robertson & Pancoast. He later joined
Loeb, Rhoades, Hornblower & Co. and
continued his career as a stock broker
and respected investment advisor for
many years. He had an uncanny sense of
timing and anticipation of things to
come that served him well both in the
investment world and beyond. |
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Later on,
Jim opened his own office for Gorman
Enterprises, pursuing business interests
in banking, venture capital, farming and
ranching, oil and gas and real estate.
He enjoyed following the stock market
and investing even until his final days.
Jim served as a director of the Bexar
County National Bank, Cullen Frost
Bancshares, Frost National Bank and was
the Founding Chairman of the Bank of San
Antonio and a Founding Director of the
Texas Hill Country Bank. Other business
interests and directorships include the
Lone Star Brewery, Conroy, Inc. and
Kinark Corp. |
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With equal
zeal and enthusiasm, he involved himself
in countless philanthropic and community
interests with copious outlays of both
time and treasure. With his naturally
gregarious personality, good humor,
authenticity, optimism and down-home
wisdom, he made genuine friends here and
throughout the world and in all walks of
life. He especially loved working with
young people, listening to their ideas,
encouraging them and mentoring many of
them to become successful and respected
business leaders. Jim had that rare gift
of being able to walk into a room and
make everyone in the room feel special
and the center of attention. Those who
knew him became part of a massive Jim
Gorman family, sharing life with one of
the most genuine and loving spirits one
could ever know, and being all the
better for it. |
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Jim had a
particular interest in research and
medicine. He was the longest serving
Trustee on the Board of Texas Biomedical
and a staunch advocate for Texas Biomed
and their scientists. He was
instrumental in the creation of its
Founder’s Council and supported Tena
when she co-founded the Texas Biomedical
Forum 51 years ago. He became an
Honorary Lifetime Member of the Christus
Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital
Foundation and Trustee Emeritus of its
Endowment Board, a Trustee Emeritus of
the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical
Research and a Co-Founder, member of the
Board of Governors and Trustee of the
Cancer Therapy and Research Center. He
served in numerous different roles with
the San Antonio Medical Foundation, KLRN
Public Television, the Harry Jersig
Speech/Therapy Center and the Texas
Research Park and the Marine Science
Institute. Over the years, Jim received
the Heart of Gold Award from the
American Heart Association, the Bexar
County Medical Society Award, and the
Ruskin C. Norman M.D. Leadership Award
by St. Luke’s Hospital. |
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His
reputation and hard work also led to his
appointment to serve on various State
task forces and statewide commissions:
The American Revolution Bicentennial
Commission of Texas (Gov. Dolph
Briscoe), the Nueces River Authority
Commission (Gov. Bill Clements), the
Battleship Texas Commission (Gov. Dolph
Briscoe) and the Marine Science
Institute Advisory Council of the
University of Texas at Austin (UT Board
of Regents). In 2006, Jim was honored
with a Doctorate of Humane Letters
degree by the University of the
Incarnate Word. |
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Jim was a
man of strong faith and through his
relationships in the religious
community, both civically and
individually, supported a number of
local churches and synagogues and
enjoyed wonderful friendships with many
of the preachers, fathers, priests,
rabbis and sisters across the City of
San Antonio. |
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His
community and social interests included
such organizations as The Argyle, Club
Giraud, the Fiesta San Antonio
Commission, the Miss Fiesta Pageant, The
Farmers Market Commission, the San
Antonio Zoological Society, the Sunshine
Cottage School for the Deaf, the Rotary
Club of San Antonio, Rotary
International, the San Antonio Chamber
of Commerce, the Sons of the Republic of
Texas, the Beethoven Maennerchor, the
Order of The Alamo and the San Antonio
Country Club. As a member of the Texas
Cavaliers, Jim served as Commander in
1972 and as King Antonio in 1973. |
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Jim was a
true outdoorsman with a love for hunting
and fishing, especially for white tail
bucks in South Texas, speckled trout
along the Gulf Coast or hunting dove at
the Gorman Ranch in Poteet, Texas with
his faithful Black Labrador retriever.
He was a world class talent with a
shotgun, winning many competitions in
Mexico, Italy, Spain and the United
States, as well as tryouts for
qualifying for the 1980 Olympic Trap
Shooting Team. He was a fierce
competitor, whether it was a friendly
game of tennis, golf (he shot his age at
71), backgammon or bridge. |
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A staunch
supporter of law enforcement and the
military, Jim was honored to receive the
Department of the Army Commander's Award
for Public Service and the Department of
the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service
Medal. He received the Humanitarian
Award in 1999 from the National
Conference for Community and Justice.
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In
business circles, he could produce calm
within the storm when things weren't
going so well, bring people together,
smooth ruffled feathers, inspire and
motivate. As a mentor and angel, he
could encourage you and help you look
within to find the strength, talent and
resolve to accomplish your goals and he
would help you along the way. |
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Aside from
all the pomp and circumstance, Jim truly
was all about people and he touched the
lives of so many. There was an
incredible personal magnetism that he
generated, which made every single
person feel cared about and special. He
went out of his way to remember every
birthday, compliment every achievement,
remark on how beautiful you are, what a
nice suit you have on, or what great
eyes you have. He made it fun to attend
a party or event in his presence and you
would be happy that you went, recalling
afterwards what a good time it was and
what a nice guy he is. |
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Maybe you
received a birthday card, or a
Valentine, or a phone call from him and
it seemed to be just the thing you
needed right then, or he was the only
person that reached out to you that
warmed your heart in that moment. Maybe
you were a widow, having just lost your
spouse, and he helped you find your way
amidst the loneliness, despair and
turmoil of such a loss. |
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One might
think the world is dimmer now without
Jim. Certainly, a great loss of a really
great man that contributed so much and
touched so many lives. But it is not
dimmer. In fact, it is brighter than
ever. Having shared and infused all of
us with his light and love, we are now a
million candles carrying his legacy
forward and making the world a better
place. |
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Jim is
survived by his wife, Tena, his son
Jimmy, his daughter Amy, six
grandchildren, nine great grandchildren,
his brother Jack E. Gorman and wife Bebe.
He was preceded in death by his son
David in 2019. |
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In lieu of
flowers, contributions may be made to
any of the following: Texas Biomedical
Research Institute, PO Box 760549 San
Antonio, TX 78245; Children's Hospital
of San Antonio Foundation, 100 NE Loop
410, Suite 706, San Antonio, TX 78216;
KLRN Endowment Fund, Inc., 501 Broadway
St. San Antonio, TX 78215. |
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A
special note from Tena |
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If you are
reading this obituary and the lists of
his accomplishments, you won't know the
essence of this man, Jim Gorman. |
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Though his
heart was "broken", he had the courage
of a lion. Though his faith in the
Father was huge, it was expressed in a
whisper and the joy he experienced in
every friendship. |
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His
handshake was real and the warmth of his
smile made you feel good. He used the
word “Brother” often and he meant it. |
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He
celebrated life from a special list, in
his faithful recognition of "Birthdays
and Anniversaries". So often I heard the
words: "Thank you for remembering me." |
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Today, Jim
would say "Thank you Lord for all my
blessings" and the Lord would say "Good
Job, Brother'". |
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This is
not an obituary, but a thank you note to
a remarkable husband, father,
grandfather, great-grandfather and best
friend: My Buddy. |
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