Wanda Jane O'Gorman Jewell

Wanda Jane O’Gorman Jewell passed away Sunday October 30th, at age 76.  Wanda was born in Pampa Texas, to Leo and Gladys O’Gorman in 1946.  She leaves behind her two sons, Kevin and Stephen, grandson Nathan, and her brothers Leo, Paul and David, and sister Jeanne.

Wanda lived most of her life in Los Angeles, California.  She earned her Master’s degree in psychiatric social work from USC in 1987, and earned her PhD from Sanville Institute in 2008.  She was a professor at USC for 25 years, and maintained a private therapy practice right up until the end of her life.  In her private practice, she specialized in helping patients with substance abuse - Wanda was herself a recovering alcoholic of 39 years.  She was very active in Alcoholics Anonymous through four decades.  

Wanda loved to travel, and there were a few particular places she loved: Faria Beach in California where she camped first with her sons in the 70s and 80s, and very often later in life; Paris, France, where she visited later in life annually until the pandemic;  Bishop, California where she camped with friends.   Wanda sang folk music and played guitar all her life, and loved to play and sing at small venues and open mic nights.

Though raised Catholic, Wanda explored a wide variety of religious and spiritual traditions over the course of her life, and was particularly drawn to Native American traditions and Buddhism.