Gorman Foley

A graveside service for Gorman Foley, age 98, of O'Neill, Nebraska, will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, at the Venango Cemetery in Venango, Nebraska.  His funeral will follow at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Holy- oke, Colorado. Gorman died on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the Arbor Care Center in O'Neill.  Memorials may be given to his family for future designation. Arrangements are entrusted to Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill. 

Gorman Edwin Foley was born in Belleville, Illinois, on March 1, 1925, to Charles William and Rose Ellen (Creekmore) Foley. He was welcomed home by his brother, Charles Jr., and was later joined by two sisters, Deloris and Geralee.  Sadly, on May 16, 1935, his mother Rose entered heaven's gates, when Gorman was just 10 years old. 

The children attended Belleville Baptist Church where Gorman's Sunday School teacher repeated John 3:16 several times each week. One Sunday morning when Pastor Phillips gave the invitation, Gorman went forward to receive Jesus as his personal Savior. He was 12 years old. 

Gorman had a paper route after school starting at age 10 for the St. Louis Post and continued until he was 16. During this time, he worked for four different companies. When he turned 16, he could get a real job and since World War II was going on, he got work in a boot factory.  Gorman's job was to put his hand on each boot to make sure there were no nails poking through that could hurt soldiers' feet. He was paid $18 a day. 

In 1994, Pastor Phillips of the Belleville Baptist Church heard that Gorman felt called to be a pastor. Pastor Phillips issued Gorman his first license to preach and invited him to preach the Sunday night of June 18. His text was Acts 4:5-12. Two visiting soldiers were saved that night. 

From there, Gorman attended Denver Bible Institute where first year students were not allowed to preach. Gorman got special permission to go to Pine, Colorado, to preach in a little mountain church 50 miles away. He would walk the first 25 miles on Saturday, stay all night at a Bible camp and finish up the last 25 miles early Sunday morning with his Bible in his hands. God always provided a way for him to get back to campus in time for Monday morning classes. 

This is where Gorman met Arlene Yvonne Derby and fell in love. They were married May 27, 1945, in the Westwood First Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado. To this union was born a son, Dennis, who died shortly after birth, and three daughters, Sheryl, Becky, and Debby. 

God led them to preach the gospel in several churches in Colorado, Wyoming, Ohio, Kansas and Nebraska, including the Olive Hill Church. Gorman liked leading youth groups and working with children in VBS and summer Bible camps ­ leading many to the Lord. He used his hobby of photography in his ministry to the delight of many children and adults alike. Gorman also spent several years as a director of Child Evangelism Fellowship in Omaha, Nebraska, training teachers and holding classes. He enjoyed painting many background teaching materials for props. 

In 1998, Gorman and Arlene moved to Holyoke, Colorado, to help care for Arlene's mother. There, Gorman was the children's church pastor for many years. Every week, he would print a bulletin for the children with pictures he had taken of them the week before. 

In August of 2014, Gorman and Arlene moved to the Evergreen Assisted Living in O'Neill, Nebraska, to be closer to their youngest daughter, Debby. Every Sunday, Gorman held either a morning service or an afternoon Bible Study until he broke his hip at age 94. He proudly displayed his extensive camera collection and was featured in the Plainview newspaper. 

Gorman is survived by his three daughters, Sheryl (Andrew) Goossen of Pryor, Oklahoma, Becky Woerner of Hastings, Nebraska, and Debby (Elroy) Thieszen of O'Neill, Nebraska; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. 

Gorman was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Rose Ellen (Creekmore) Foley; brother, Charles Foley; sister, Deloris (Roy) Pierce; sister, Geralee (Harold Sr.) Elles; infant son, Dennis Foley; wife, Arlene (Derby) Foley; grandson, Scott Goossen; and son-in-law, Jim Woerner.