Gervase was born on 19th June 1944 in Banbridge, the second child of Frances and Jack Gorman. Gervase’s first home was at Kernan, near Gilford. When he was 13 months old he contracted meningitis. His parents were prepared for the worst but Frances was determined to nurse him and her faith in the power of prayer was strong. Gervase survived the illness much to the joy of his family but the virus unfortunately took away his hearing and ability to speak at a very tender age.

At this time, no suitable schools for the deaf were available in Northern Ireland for young children, so Gervase aged only 4 travelled to Yorkshire, to attend a special convent run school for the Deaf in Boston Spa, near Leeds.

As a consequence, Gervase was only able to come home to Gilford during the school holidays at Christmas, Easter and during the summer time. Naturally as a young child he looked forward to coming home. Preferring to be with family and friends he often locked himself away when the time came to leave.

In his early teens he was successful in obtaining a school place at St. Joseph’s Christian Brothers School for the Deaf in Cabra, Dublin. He didn’t stay long in Cabra. He made the long journey home, unannounced and alone by train and bus to Gilford. He persuaded his parents to let him return to Leeds to finish his education. Gervase was fortunate to have his maternal grandmother and members of his mother’s family living in Merseyside to provide much needed support.

Gervase started working life when he joined Lucas Aerospace and Engineering in Liverpool as an apprentice tool maker and engineer producing die cast Meccano, Dinky and Matchbox toys. Gervase took great pleasure surprising nephews and nieces with sample toys from the factory. He was just like Father Christmas!

Gervase with his spontaneous nature became bored and restless working in a factory environment. He wanted to see the world. He worked in various jobs obtaining an HGV Class One licence. He was the first licensed HGV ‘deaf and dumb’ driver in England and he assisted many others to follow his example. His delivery work brought him to locations throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Gervase also drove mini cabs and the iconic black taxis. He was the first licensed deaf black taxi driver in London where he worked for more than 10 years.

Hobbies and Interests:

Gervase was a gifted sportsman. In his early school days he played the position of full forward on the Boston Spa soccer team noted on many occasions as a star player.

Gervase was described as a talented goal keeper for the ‘Gilford Geraldine‘s’ Gaelic football team when he played during the school holidays. Photos and articles of the team have been carefully archived of this 1955 winning team in the Down GAA Yearbook. He also played soccer again in his 20s for Gilford United as a forward.

As a single man he was carefree and this allowed him to pursue his interest in other lands, people, cultures and faiths. As early as the late 60s he traveled to the United States to research the possibility of having his hearing restored. He visited parts of Russia before the Iron Curtain was torn down.

He had many adventures traveling throughout Europe, North, Central and South America on many occasions taking his nephew Stephen with him.

Gervase was a keen on cinematography capturing many of his journeys on cine, video and still cameras.

A ‘giver’ by nature he was always happy to pass on or ask you to ‘look after’ a camera, TV, video player or computer he no longer needed. He had already upgraded to the ‘latest new thing in tech’.

His love of new technologies saw him return to the world of learning. He graduated in 2000 from Doncaster College for the Deaf in ‘Computer Aided Design’.

Computers and smart phone technology allowed Gervase to pursue his varied interests and communicate his thoughts and ideas with family and friends.

Gervase being naturally inquisitive was an avid reader of books and material on the internet.

He would be able to provide the best tips on travel, food and healthy diets.

He had a passionate interest in genealogy. His research into family ancestry meant he found family connections in many places from Scotland to the United States. He would happily spend hours collating this information and sharing his findings.

Gervase was very sociable. He spent many happy times visiting his brothers, sisters, cousins and a wide circle of friends. You could always count on Gervase to arrive at any event smiling with his camera or video recorder.

He enjoyed the company of a close network of friends in the many Deaf Clubs and Associations he joined. He was loved and respected by his social work team.

Gervase was eternally optimistic and inquisitive. He always sought wisdom and truth.

He had a deep faith and interest in the word of God. He regularly attended the Belfast Mission for the Deaf. He carried and read the bible also using a bible app on his phone which allowed him to quote and send messages to family and friends.

Gervase visited many holy sites and shrines around the world. He recently travelled to Greece and Malta. He enjoyed nothing more than sharing photos and mementoes.

His last trip in late June was to join a pilgrimage to Naples, Italy to visit the shrine of a recently canonised young man Saint Nuncio Sulprizio the patron saint of disabled invalids.

Gervase was also making plans to travel to Liverpool very soon to spend time with family.

He has travelled more miles on this earth than it took any astronaut mission to get to the moon and back.

We will remember him as a very special person with a uniquely gifted personality, a youthful charm, independent, good natured both playful and mischievously full of fun.

We have much to learn from the way he lived his life.

We are all heartbroken but glad to be with him on his final journey to his place of rest alongside his father John and brother Tony.