Our family is honoring the life of Joseph “Brud” Anthony Gorman, Jr., a devoted father, grandfather, and lifelong firefighter who passed away on October 29, 2025. Brud dedicated over five decades to fire protection and emergency service across the country, beginning as a volunteer in Yardley, Pennsylvania — the same town where he’ll soon be laid to rest beside his parents.

We are raising funds to help cover travel and burial expenses as we bring Brud home to Yardley, where his love for firefighting and service first began. Any amount given will go directly toward these costs and will help our family celebrate his life in the community that shaped who he was.

Your support means more than words can express. Thank you for helping us honor Brud’s legacy of courage, kindness, and devotion to family and community.

Obituary:

Joseph “Brud” Anthony Gorman, Jr.

January 25, 1951 – October 29, 2025

Joseph “Brud” Anthony Gorman, Jr. passed away peacefully on October 29, 2025, in Northwest Arkansas, with the love of his children close to him.

Born and raised in Yardley, Pennsylvania,

Brud was the son of Joseph Anthony Gorman, Sr. and Ruth Johnson, and brother to Sharon and Pat. Following in his father’s footsteps, Brud began his lifelong career in fire protection at just 15 years old as a volunteer firefighter in Yardley in 1966. He pursued his education in fire and emergency services at Rowan Tech in Salisbury, North Carolina, and earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University.

Brud’s career spanned over five decades, concluding with his retirement in 2017, and took him across the United States and abroad. He taught at IFSTA in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and served at fire departments in Phoenix, Arizona; Concord, New Hampshire (Assistant Chief); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Chief); Plano, Texas (Fire Marshal); Ann Arbor, Michigan (Fire Chief); Texas City, Texas (Fire Chief); and Lockhart, Texas (Fire Chief). He also served overseas at the U.S. Third Army base in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Brud’s work as an award-winning fire chief reflected his deep commitment to protecting others and mentoring those who served alongside him.

After retiring, he chose to move to Northwest Arkansas to be close to his children and grandchildren — the people who brought him the most joy. He was a proud and loving father to Ryan Gorman and his wife, Emilie, and Ainsley Sumpter and her husband, Garrett, and an adoring grandfather to Karis, Knox, Callaway, McCollum, Kimbel, and Connley, who affectionately called him “Chief.” Brud is also survived by his wife, Lee Gorman, and his sisters, Sharon Palmer and Pat Lowder.

A small, intimate ceremony honoring Brud’s life will be held on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at the St. Ignatius Antioch Center, followed by interment at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ignatius Cemetery in Yardley, Pennsylvania, where he will be laid to rest beside his parents. Friends and anyone who knew Brud are warmly invited to attend the gravesite. Please contact Ryan Gorman at [email redacted] if you plan to attend. The family would love to connect with anyone in the Yardley community who may have known him or the Gorman family.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be deeply grateful for contributions to assist with travel and burial expenses as they bring Brud home to Yardley — the community where his love for firefighting and service first began.

Brud never met a stranger, and his easy laugh and big personality left a mark wherever he went. He had a unique love for a Sonic Chocolate Coke and could always be found wearing his favorite color — bright orange — in honor of his beloved Oklahoma State Cowboys. Some of his happiest moments were spent in the backyard teaching his grandkids how to play baseball and cheering on his children in their many successes. He will be remembered for his steady courage and his lifelong devotion to service, family, and community.