Mary Lynn Gorman

She was a driving force both for her family and her community. Mary Lynn Gorman, 84, of Avon, CT died Monday December 19, 2023 in Avon, CT. She was born March 22, 1939 in Cleveland, OH to William Bernard and Edith Naughton West who instilled in her a strong work ethic, a natural ability to make friends and the need to give back to your community. Mary Lynn graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1957 in Ohio, then from Georgetown University in 1961. She spent the summer after school caring for her younger brother John who passed away in 1963 due to Cystic Fibrosis. She had her first two children in Buffalo, NY and third in Cleveland, OH before spending a year and a half at Clark Air Force base in the Philippines with her family during the Vietnam War. Her fourth son was born in Hartford, CT where she spent the rest of her life, but she always cherished her Cleveland roots. She enjoyed playing golf at Hartford Golf Club and Farmington Woods and the weekly lunches afterwards. She loved her grandchildren dearly and supported them in all of their endeavors. Mary Lynn worked for nearly 30 years for the local professional hockey teams first with the Hartford Whalers then with the Hartford Wolf Pack in public and community relations. For the Whalers she spearheaded the annual Hartford Whalers Casino Night for the benefit of the UCONN Children's Cancer Fund. She established the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation and the team’s Community Service award is presented annually in her name. She was a member of the Junior League of Hartford for many years where she led the initial Show House events, Clothes Horse and is an emeritus member. She volunteered for many charitable organizations such as Loaves and Fishes, the College Club of Hartford scholarship fund, the Chrysalis Center, Town & County Club Fund of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the House of Bread, the Hartford Architectural Conservancy and was involved in the creation of the West Hartford Children’s Museum. Mary Lynn was preceded in death by her brothers John West and Richard West and by her parents. She is survived by her two brothers William Naughton West (and his wife Annerose Zorn) and Thomas Michael West (and his wife Karen); and by her four sons - David John (wife Bess, children Aleksey, Sasha and Olga Maria), Mark Thomas (wife Andrea, children Peter and John), Stephen William (wife Molly, children Justin, Patrick and Nathan), and Brian Arthur (wife Gina, children Carly, Lindley, Mollie, Kyle and Mia). The family will hold visiting hours on Thursday December 28th from 9-10AM at St Patrick and St Anthony Church at 285 Church Street in Hartford, CT followed by a service at 10AM at the church. A private burial will follow. If you’d like to make a donation in her name, please do so to either the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the House of Bread in Hartford.

Mary Lynn Gorman

December 18, 2023