Died: 21 June 2014
Doris M. Gourley, 89 years of Rockford passed away Saturday 21 June 2014 at her residence. Doris was born on 22 August 1924 in Mauston, Wisconsin, the daughter of Henry and Laura (Wermuth) Grefe. She married Earl E. Gourley on 26 July 1947 and he preceded her in death on 14 November 2007. Doris was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford and a volunteer for the WOW Children’s Ministry at Zion. She was a member of the Tea Party movement and Order of the Eastern Star. Doris was an election judge for many years and was a volunteer coordinator for Emmanuel Lutheran Church Soup Kitchen. Doris is survived by her children: Michael D. Gourley, Cherene A. (Charles) Sweeny and Patrick H. (Cheryl) Gourley; sister Phyllis Moore; brothers Paul Grefe, Robert Grefe, Hank Grefe and Fredrick Grefe; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Doris was preceded in death by her parents, husband, twin sister Dorothy Ruf, sisters Eleanor Huffman and Beverly Rothe; brother Harold Grefe. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Northern Illinois Hospice and granddaughter Lisa (Gourley) Sanders for all the loving care that was given to Doris. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Northern Illinois Hospice or Zion Lutheran Church Children’s Ministry. A service to celebrate Doris’s life will be 12:00 p.m. Thursday 26 June 2014 at Zion Lutheran Church 925 Fifth Ave. in Rockford. A visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Thursday at the church. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens after the luncheon at church. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sunsetfhmemgardens.com
Doris is pictured in the 4th edition of the Friedrich Seidemann Family Tree Book on page 180 with her parents and her siblings. She is listed on page 196 with her husband and their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Doris is a 5th generation descendant of Friedrich and Rosine Seidemann and her genealogy line is as follows: Friedrich, Friedericka, Oscar, Laura, and Doris.