NEW PORTLAND – After a life of constant motion, Marilyn Doris (Leavitt) Gorman, 91, of New Portland, passed away peacefully on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, after a brief hospitalization at MaineGeneral Medical Center.

Marilyn was born Thursday, April 13, 1933 in North New Portland, Maine. She shared a deep connection with the town and community her whole life. She was the second of three children born to Vernon and Thirza (Henderson) Leavitt. In 1942 Grammy’s family moved to South Portland, despite her protests, and she soon met her lifetime partner, James Gorman with whom she shared almost 60 years of love and friendship. Despite her oft-expressed wish to go “back home,” Grammy spent nearly 40 years in South Portland learning, living, loving, working—she often spoke fondly of her time working at Cushman’s Bakery and as a Library Technician at South Portland Jr. High School—and raising her family before returning to her hometown with Gramp.

Marilyn was a pillar of the New Portland community from the first, and remained so until the very end, serving over the years in many roles including librarian at the New Portland Library in addition to membership on various town committees including the Planning Board, Bicentennial Committee, Recreation Committee, and Municipal Advisory Committee. She also served as a local ballot clerk, the Town Historian, and contributed to all three New Portland’s Comprehensive Plans. Later in life she was also an active member of the New Portland Community Church. She was too active to list everything she did, but through it all what Grammy loved the best was spending time with her family and friends—preferably at a ballgame with her New York Yankees hat on her head. She was the matriarch of our family, logging hundreds of thousands of miles over the years following her kids, grandkids, and friendly kids she met along the way to their various games, plays, presentations, appointments, graduations, and much more.

Marilyn was predeceased by her parents; her husband; her siblings Keith Leavitt and Barbara (Leavitt) Hibbard; as well as her grandson James E. “Jesse” Gorman. She leaves behind two sons, Robert Gorman of Waterville and his wife Pam, and Keith Gorman of Westbrook and his wife Deborah; as well as seven grandchildren, their spouses; 10 great-grandchildren; and scores of other family and friends who will all miss her dearly.

The family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to the wonderful teams at Inland Primary Care, the Emergency and Nephrology Departments at MaineGeneral Thayer Hospital, and the Critical Care Unit at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta. You all made a terrible situation a little bit easier with your compassion and kindness, in addition to your outstanding professionalism. Thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts.

A graveside service will be held next spring in New Portland under the direction of Giberson’s Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a small donation to your local Public Library in Grammy’s memory.

She did not ask us to ask you this, but we know it would make her very happy