William "Bill" Gorges

William D. "Bill" Gorges Sr., age 81, Milk Hauler, passed away Monday, June 29, 2009. Rosary, 7pm, Friday, July 2, 2009. Funeral Mass, 10:30am, Saturday, July 4, 2009, both at St. John's Catholic Church, Clonmel. Kansas. Willliam Dean Gorges was born to Matt and Catherine (Simon) Gorges on July 7, 1927 at their farm near Clonmel, Ks., the third oldest of eight children. After graduating from the eighth grade at St. John's Clonmel Catholic School, he worked on the family farm and custom bailed for local farmers. He worked four years for his father, Mathias Gorges and helped operate a 400 acre farm. They farmed and dairied. In the late 1940's he was drafted into the U.S. Army during WWII. After his discharge Bill helped moved the present St. John's Catholic Church from Winfield to Clonmel. He worked for Ben Sipult as a milk hauler. About 1952 he bought out the milk truck route and hauled milk for fifty years. On January 6, 1953 he was united in marriage to Rita Rousseau in St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Wichita, Ks. To this union were born eleven children. They built a home north of Clonmel, where they resided until his death. Bill enjoyed good health until recent years and played cards until a few weeks ago. Preceded in death by parents, Mathias and Catherine (Simon) Gorges; brother, Donald Gorges; grandson, David William Cordell. Survivors: wife of 56 years, Rita; children, Albert (Colette) Gorges of Wichita, Felix (Kim) Gorges of Goddard, Fred (Chris) Gorges of Clearwater, Annette (Dennis) McAtee of Tulsa, OK, Mary (Doug) Kohls of Clearwater, Matt (Diane) Gorges of Boswell, OK, Bernadette (Kavin) Cordell, Monica (Martin) Maus all of Viola, Fr. Bernard Gorges of Chanute, Bill Jr. (Jody) Gorges of Goddard, Joe (Pam) Gorges of Danville, KS; brothers, Maurice Gorges of Loveland, CO, Delmer (Pat) Gorges of Viola; sisters, Jean Pauly of Conway Springs, Marilyn (John) Dugan of Wichita, Kathleen (Larry) Klein of Garden Plain, Janice Seelke of Wichita; 60 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren. Memorials; St. John's Catholic Church, 18630 W. 71st, Viola, KS 67149 and Harry Hynes Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202. Services Rosary, Friday, at 7 pm Funeral Mass, Saturday, 10:30 am both at St. John's Catholic Church.