Patricia (Patti) Gorman, age 61, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City after a long battle with lupus and heart disease.
Patti was born Oct. 5, 1956, in Rochelle, Illinois, to Lyle and Shirley Cross. On Halloween 1975, Patti met the love of her life, Tim Gorman, whom she married on May 27, 1977. They gave birth to their daughter in March of 1979. In the spring of 1982, they moved to Evanston and quickly fell in love with Wyoming.
Patti worked for Burgerland USA, Shakey’s Pizza, and then spent 18 years with the State Hospital. In her years at the State Hospital she started in the kitchen and ended in the time office. Wherever she worked she made many lifelong friends.
Patti loved nothing more than to be with her family and in the outdoors. She enjoyed everything from hiking and camping to spending time in her flower gardens and birdwatching, usually with her best friend and dog companion Lilly.
The highlight of her life was the many trips and adventures she went on with her husband. They kept a boat at Flaming Gorge for more than 18 years and spent those years together on the lake fishing, camping and walking the shore picking up trash.
The couple cleaned roads, trails, streams, beaches and lake fronts wherever they went and especially in Wyoming and Utah. Patti and her husband have over 31 miles of the Mirror Lake Highway in Utah’s Adopt-a-Highway program.
She picked up litter along the beautiful road long before it became a Scenic Highway, even before Utah had an Adopt-a-Highway program. She continued to walk the highway and pick up trash until her health would not allow her to do so a couple years ago.
Patti’s greatest joy was her grandchildren. She loved supporting them in all their school activities and spoiled them rotten. Patti was the most hardworking, kind-hearted woman and she will be missed dearly by family, friends and work mates.
Patti is survived by her husband Tim; her daughter Cyndi (Bradi) Day; two stepsons, Geoff (Rayna) Gorman and Jacob Gorman; six granddaughters and three grandsons. She also leaves behind her brother Tom (Kelly) Cross and sister Linda (Gary) Sanderson.
Patti was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Larry Cross.
Patti’s funeral services will be held on Monday, Nov. 20, at the Crandall Funeral Home in Evanston. There will be a visitation hour at 5 p.m. followed by a service and prayer at 6 p.m.
Patti’s ashes will be spread at Flaming Gorge Reservoir in a private family ceremony at a later date.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Humane Society at www.humanesociety.org or the Lupus Foundation of America at www.lupus.org/utah/home.
Online condolences may be left at crandallfhevanston.com.
