John Ballard Gorman

Published 9:11 am Friday, January 23, 2015

JACKSON — John Ballard Gorman, 45, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, following an accident during a training exercise in Tunica County.

Born Jan. 28, 1969, in Vicksburg, John was adopted by a family that brought him home when he was just three days old and loved him beyond measure.

John was raised in Jackson and graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School. He attended the University of Mississippi, where he was an active member of Pi Kappa Alpha, and graduated from Mississippi College in 1992 with a degree in criminal justice.

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John began his career with the Mississippi Gaming Commission in January 1994 as a gaming enforcement agent I in Tunica County and graduated from the Mississippi Law Enforcement Office Training Academy the following May.

He was promoted to gaming enforcement agent II in 1995, to special enforcement agent in 1997, and in 1999 became branch director and opened the Vicksburg Office, which he ran until his death.

His title was changed to division director in 2012, and he was recently promoted to director of investigations, a promotion he had worked hard to achieve. John was an NRA law enforcement firearms instructor, a certified public manager and a Glock Firearms armorer.

John was preceded in death by his father, James William Gorman of Jackson; maternal grandparents, Charles Earl Ballard and Elaine Ryle Ballard of Madison; paternal grandparents, Joseph Henry Gorman and Lilly Mae Merchant Gorman of Leland; and two cousins that were his hunting buddies, Kirk Hudson of Magee and Ryles Logan of Fort Smith, Ark.

John was a very devoted husband and father and is survived by his wife, Summer Goff Gorman, daughters, Abby Grace and Lauren Burgett, all of Madison; his mother, Mildred Ballard Gorman of Jackson; sisters, Julie Gorman Levanway of Jackson and Sherry Gorman Sanderson (Charles David) of Pulaski, Tenn., nephews and nieces, Andrew Gorman Levanway (Natalie) of Jackson, William Douglas Levanway (Allie) of London, England, and Tarah Sanderson Holt (Jamie), Charles Clayton Sanderson and Mary Shelby Sanderson, all of Pulaski, Tenn., one great-nephew Andrew Graham Levanway of Jackson; loving in-laws Brenda and Jacky Goff of Tupelo; brother-in-law Kevin Goff of Tupelo; nephew Landon Goff of Tupelo; and aunts and cousins.

John was a cradle Catholic and a devout member of Saint Richard Catholic Church in Jackson.

The family will receive friends today, Jan. 23, 2015, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a Wake Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Richard Catholic Church, 1242 Lynnwood Drive, Jackson.

On Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at 10 a.m., there will be a visitation prior to an 11a.m. Funeral Mass at Saint Richard celebrating John’s life. Following mass, graveside services will be held in Natchez Trace Memorial Park in Madison.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to The John Gorman Memorial Fund established at any branch of the Community Bank of Mississippi.