John Gorun, 1936-2012: Owner of title firm active in sailing clubs
5/23/2012John Gorun, retired owner of a title company who was active in local sailing clubs, died Tuesday in Toledo Hospital. He was 75.
Mr. Gorun died of complications from heart failure, his wife, Judy, said.
He was owner and president of Legal Search Inc., a title business in the Nicholas Building at Madison Avenue and Huron Street. The company was started in 1975 to provide title work for equity lines and second mortgages provided by local banks, eventually growing to about 13 employees. "He had nearly all of the banks as his client," Mrs. Gorun said.
He retired in 2010 after the building was sold and the new owner forced him to vacate, his wife said.
"However, he was still working until two months ago, doing consulting work on a few pieces here and there to keep himself busy," Mrs. Gorun said.
Born July 23, 1936, to Romanian immigrants, he grew up in Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Gorun graduated from Alliance High School and continued his education at Mount Union College in Alliance, earning a business degree.
He took a job with a consumer finance company there, and the firm eventually transferred him to Toledo. He became manager in 1974 of Citadel Finance Inc., a subsidiary of Indiana National Corp., but left the firm a year later to start his own title company.
Mrs. Gorun said her husband's true love was competitive sailing, and he was among the crew members in sailing events on the Great Lakes, including the Canada's Cup. He belonged to the North Cape Yacht Club, LaSalle, Mich., and was a past commodore of the group.
He also competed during the winter in ice sailing.
He belonged to the Toledo Ice Yacht Club, and had been its commodore at one time.
Mr. Gorun also supported and served on the board of the Toledo Ballet Association.
Surviving are his wife, Judy, daughter, DeAnn Trobaugh, and two grandchildren.
Visitation is to be Thursday from 3 to 9 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave., where services are to be Friday at 11 a.m.
The family suggests tributes to North Cape Sailing School or Toledo Ballet Association.