Jim Gorman, Mansfield industrialist, philanthropist, and aviator, dies at 99

Local industrialist and philanthropist Jim Gorman died Thursday morning. He was 99.

As president of the Gorman-Rupp Co., he oversaw the manufacturing and sales of the company’s pump systems from his Mansfield and Bellville plants and plants around the world.

Gorman was a Mansfield industrialist who served as president of Gorman-Rupp Co., a company co-founded in the 1930s by his father, J.C. Gorman Sr., and H.E. (Herb) Rupp.

In 2019, Gorman stepped down from the company’s board of directors after 73 years.

Gorman was inducted into the North Central State College Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2004, and later the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum’s Champions of Industry. He also earned the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development’s Chairman’s Award in 1984.

But early in his life, Gorman played a much different role. He was an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II, serving in New Guinea, where he flew 70 combat missions.

“There wasn’t any place to spend money in New Guinea, so I started sending my paychecks home,” Gorman told the News Journal last year. “Finally, I wrote my dad and said, for goodness’ sake, instead of putting this money in the bank, buy me something. And he did. He bought me a farm on Route 97 between Lexington and Bellville,” the News Journal reported earlier.

Jim Gorman: Generous philanthropist

The YMCA of North Central Ohio announced earlier it will create a sports complex on the 35-acres of land donated by Gorman along Ohio 97/Interstate 71 in Bellville.

Ed Olson, president of the board of trustees at the Mansfield Memorial Museum, said Gorman was a longtime benefactor of the museum at 34 Park Avenue West and "the vision" for the creation of the Frank P. Lahm Aviation Museum, which opened last fall at the rear of the museum at 40 Park Avenue West.

More: Frank P. Lahm Aviation Museum opens Oct. 2 in Mansfield

Jim Gorman and the Gorman Foundation purchased the aviation building in November 2019 for the Soldiers and Sailors Building.

Community leader Chriss Harris said Thursday, "The community lost a great man and philanthropist, always willing to help others, especially college students in need. His support of NC State and OSU-M scholarships is legendary.  I’m very fortunate to have known Jim and am saddened by his passing."

The Richland County Park District acquired its first property in 1975 when, as the story goes, someone convinced Jim Gorman and his sister, Jean Bate, to donate 20 acres of land on Lexington Avenue to bring the total to 84 acres.

Three more parcels brought the total close to 150 acres.

Ready to fly

Gorman celebrated his 21st birthday overseas while an Army Air Force pilot.

"When I graduated from Mansfield Senior High in 1941, my grandmother's present was 10 hours of dual flying time," Gorman told the News Journal in 2019. "Of course that did it."

He joined the Army in 1942 and became a C-47 cargo plane pilot.

"General MacArthur and myself toured the Pacific together, except he was leading," he said.

He was a charter member of the 179th Airlift Wing of the Air National Guard at Mansfield Lahm Airport, having joined the unit when it was initially formed as the 164th Fighter Squadron in June 1948.

About 500 employees

When the News Journal interviewed Gorman in 2019 he talked about the employees at Gorman Rupp Co. near Mansfield Lahm Airport.

In News Journal archives dating from 1948, Gorman was quoted often as saying he believes in treating his employees as he would like to be treated.

"I haven't changed," he said.

Gorman can remember the names of almost all of his employees, both current and former employees.

He said he can remember as a young boy being a gopher for his father at the company.

"I would go for this and go for that," he said.

Because of the hard work of the family and the pump industry, the Gorman name has become world renowned for the quality of their pumps.

As he climbed the stairs to his office in 2019, he said he's enjoyed seeing the company grow.

"And of course, you don't do that by yourself. We've been very, very fortunate in this company in having some tremendous people work here," he said.

Richland County commissioners speak highly of Jim Gorman

The three Richland County Commissioners spoke highly of Gorman at their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday.

“He certainly did a lot for the (Clear Fork) Valley – the genealogical society in on land that he donated," Darrell Banks said. "He donated (land) for the new YMCA... and these are the things he has done recently. There are many more things for the community. Back in the '50s he opened up a small factory down there (in Bellville) which grew and they built small pumps there. He was not only such a generous man but he was a fine and caring person and we’ll miss him.”

“Darrell said it very well," said Cliff Mears. "He was a pillar of our community. We were a better community with him and he will be sadly missed. It’s a blow to this community. He’s a good man, led a good life, productive, a great philanthropist, a good person. He was personable, approachable and a good man.”

Tony Vero said, “They don’t make many like Jim Gorman — a successful businessman, a veteran, flew planes and (was) an even better person. It was great going to community events and always seeing him sit there with obviously (son) Jeff and his family.  He was a true gentleman and we’ll miss him."

Family was always important to him

An avid aviator, Gorman's late wife Marge was a commercially rated pilot and one of the first 100 women helicopter licensed pilots in the world. She piloted aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean on four occasions. Marge was a past president of the Mansfield Aviation Club, a member of the Ninety-Nines Women's Pilot Association, The Whirly Girls, and a longtime volunteer at Kingwood Center Gardens.

Jim Gorman is survived by two children, son Jeff Gorman and daughter Gayle Gorman Green, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Both Jeff and Gayle are pilots too.

“ I am comforted by the hundreds of kind comments friends have shared with me today, and how my father touched their lives. I am trying not to think of him not being here, but thankful for the time he was,” Gayle said via email.

Gayle's husband, Richard Green said, "Jim Gorman was clearly a special kind of person. As chairman and CEO of Gorman Rupp, he provided the leadership that produced steady growth of the company which also resulted in GR being a leader in the pump industry. More than anything Jim Gorman loved to fly. He learned to fly as an Air Force pilot in World War II…  with his assigned aircraft being the C-47. Jim would own a number of planes during his lifetime, but the plane that would be his favorite was his 1940’s vintage Beech Stagerwing bi-plane, which he flew as often as he could. Jim was a positive force for so many people; friends, family and employees, and used his generosity to make their lives just a little better."

Jim Gorman's son Jeff and his wife Michele Gorman also added that Nancy Allen has been Jim's special friend for the last eight years.

"They knew each other in high school and were both in the armed services. during World War II. They reconnected at a Mansfield Aviation dinner and their reconnection brought each other joy and companionship. They loved going out for dinner, playing hearts, discussing the politics of the day, and just enjoying quiet time together reading the newspaper. Being both 99 years old gave each of them comfort in knowing that there was another person who saw the world through the same lens," they said in an email.

"Their friendship is a reminder that it is never too late to find love and companionship. It is also a reminder that the most important things in life are not material possessions, but rather the relationships we have with the people we love," the couple added.

Private burial services will be conducted with a Celebration of Life at a later date, his daughter said.

Wappners Funeral Directors in Ontario is handling arrangements.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

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News Journal correspondent Al Lawrence contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Jim Gorman, a WW II pilot, '41 grad of Mansfield Senior, dies at 99