Anne L. Gormer 1928-2012

Anne L. Gormer

Anne Gormer began her banking career in Allegany County in 1943 when she was first employed by Liberty Trust. She held a series of positions over the years rising to senior vice president in 1980, and eventually president of the Liberty Bank of Maryland in 1992. An earlier 1986 merger with WM Bancorp resulted in her being named a senior vice-president and director of the holding company.

Prior to her retirement in 1993, Anne Gormer served as the first chairwoman of the Cumberland Housing Authority. She was appointed to this position in 1976, held the position for 15 years, and is still the only woman to have served as president. She also served as president of the Allegany County Historical Society and Women's Civic Club and was appointed by three different Governors to the Fourth Judicial Court Judicial Nominating Commission. In 1988 Anne became the first woman member of the Rotary Club of Cumberland.

From: Allegany County Commission for Women.

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June 30, 2012
ANNE L. GORMER

CUMBERLAND— Anne Lenore Gormer, 84, of Cumberland, and Pawley’s Island, S.C., passed away on Friday, June 30, 2012, at Allegany Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Born Jan. 25, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Clarence Luther Fisher and Lauretta (Weltner) Fisher of Berlin, Pa. Mrs. Gormer was also preceded in death by her husband, Robert R. Gormer, on May 22, 2006, and was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Mrs. Gormer was a graduate of Berlin Brothers Valley High School, class of 1945, a graduate of Catherman’s Business School, Cumberland and the American Institute of Banking. She was the President of Liberty Bank of Maryland and retired her career in banking in November 1993 after 45 years of service. Mrs. Gormer was one of the first women bank presidents in the State of Maryland and had been employed by the bank since 1943 in a variety of positions including having been elected to the Board of Directors in 1970; Senior Vice President in 1980; and President in 1991. When Liberty Bank of Maryland became a subsidiary of WM Bancorp, a 3-bank holding company, in 1986, Mrs. Gormer was elected Senior Vice President and Secretary as well as a director of the holding company. She held numerous offices in the National Association of Bank Women, now known as the Financial Women, Inc., including National Treasurer for five years. She was the founder and member of the organization’s Cumberland Chapter. Mrs. Gormer was founder and original President of the Maryland Chapter, Bank Marketing Organization, as well as a member and past president of the Cumberland Chapter National Association of Bank Auditors and Comptrollers (NABAC).

Aside from her extensive bank-related experiences, Mrs. Gormer was very involved in community activities. She was appointed a member of the Cumberland Housing Authority and in 1976, was named the first woman chair; a position she held for 15 years. She was also the first woman member of the Cumberland Rotary Club. Mrs. Gormer served as president of the Women’s Civic Club and the Allegany County Historical Society; and was a member of the C&O Canal Advisory Commission; the Chamber of Commerce; the Allegany County Board of Education Drug Task Force; the Maryland Economic Development Commission for Allegany, Washington, and Garrett Counties; the Cumberland Cultural Foundation and was appointed by three different Maryland Governors to the Judicial Nominating Commission to the Fourth Judicial Circuit.

Mrs. Gormer was also an accomplished musician. She started her musical career at the age of four and her pipe organ service to churches at the age of 13. She was, for many years, the organist at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Center Street United Methodist Church, both in Cumberland. Mrs. Gormer was an accompanist for the Cumberland Choral Society and was a member of the Cumberland Music and Arts Club.

After retirement, Mrs. Gormer resided part-time in Surfside Beach, S.C., where she was a member of Saint Paul’s Waccamaw United Methodist Church in Pawleys Island, S.C., having served as a member of the choir and the Elderberries Club, and various church-related charitable organizations.

Mrs. Gormer is survived by her very close family friends, J. Scott Blankenship and his wife Terry and their children, Kelsey, Tyler, and Cody, all of Cumberland.

A memorial service will also be held at Saint Paul’s Waccamaw United Methodist Church in Pawley’s Island, S.C., on Saturday, July 28, 2012, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Pam Muise officiating.

A committal service will be conducted at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery at Rocky Gap for Robert and Anne Gormer at a later date.

It was Mrs. Gormer’s request the memorials be made in her name to the Jason House, Post Office Box 14386, Surfside Beach, SC 29587 or Saint Paul’s Waccamaw United Methodist Church Music Fund, 100 Saint Paul’s Place, Pawleys Island, SC 29585.