Joan Carla Gorman

Born on June 20, 1945 in Waukegan, Illinois, she grew up in Winthrop Harbor, and attended Zion Benton High School, graduating in 1963.

She worked at Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago before emigrating to Germany in 1967. There, she quickly learned a new culture and language, worked as a hotel cook, cared for nursing home residents, and served as a bilingual secretary for the U.S. Armed Forces in Zweibrücken, Germany. In 1981, she returned to the U.S. to live in Carthage, Texas; Aurora, Colorado; Madison, Indiana; and eventually back to Lake County, Illinois. Over the years she was employed as a legal and medical secretary, mastered website maintenance and photo manipulation, and always loved to learn new things.

Joan was a great seamstress who also enjoyed knitting and crocheting. Her passions included all things art, listening to classical music, hosting dinners with an elaborately decorated table, watching all cooking shows, reading mysteries and legal thrillers, and collecting antiques and angels. She loved to dance and could make anyone laugh. Crafting with the grandkids was her special joy.

She is survived and eternally loved by her daughters, Jeannine ‘Gina’ Lee and Jeannette Neubauer; her son, Jason (Rachel) Gorman; grandchildren, Samantha, Alexandra, Darren, Anthony, Aidan, and Traigh; siblings, Janet Petersen, James (May) Nelson, Judy Robards, and Jerry (Sue) Nelson; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Joan is preceded in death by her daughters, Carol and Christine; her parents, Marion (Paulsen) and Kenneth Nelson; and brothers-in-law, Carl Petersen and Richard Robards.

The family would like to thank the caring team at Hillcrest Nursing Center in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, for watching over Joan during her stay.

A Celebration of Life will be announced in the coming weeks.