Louie passed away at his home on March 31, 2015, at the age of 73. Louie was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Santa Gorishek, and his brother, Phil. He is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Penny; and their four children: Sheri Phillips, Lindi Gorishek, Traci Johnson and Ryan Gorishek (Crystal). He also leaves behind eight adoring grandchildren; a sister, Louette Page, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Louie was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 18, 1941. He spent his early years in Scofield, Utah, where he attended a small one room school. As a child, he enjoyed fishing, hunting and all the advantages a small coal mining town had to offer. He graduated from Carbon High School in 1959. Louie attended Grand Canyon College briefly, then served a two-year apprenticeship at a Phoenix mortuary, where he learned the funeral business and drove an ambulance, even delivering a baby on one of his ambulance calls. It was during this time he met Penny Gilliam, and they were married in December, 1966, while he was on a two-week leave from the Army. In February, 1967, Louie was sent to Vietnam for a year. Following discharge from the Army, Louie and Penny moved to the LA area so he could attend the College of Mortuary Science. Following graduation, and with a new baby girl in tow, they moved back to Phoenix where Louie began working as a licensed funeral director and embalmer. On his days off he worked at the Safeway Distribution Center unloading boxcars. In 1972 Penny and Louie moved their growing family to Tempe, so Louie could accept a full time position with Safeway. Louie retired from the company in 1999. After retirement, Louie enjoyed puttering in his garage, refinishing old furniture, making toy trains and cars for the little ones, and spending time with his grandchildren, his “babies” as he called them. Louie loved his family and he was dearly loved. He will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2015 from 5-7:00 PM at Tempe Mortuary, 405 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 10:00 AM at Cross Pointe Tempe Church, 1001 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ. Burial will follow at 1:00 PM at Paradise Memorial Gardens, 9300 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Louie’s name to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Arrangements entrusted to Tempe Mortuary, Tempe, AZ.