BROOKS ARTHUR GORDEN, age 82, of Portage, passed away Thursday, January 24, 2013. He was a Portage High School Class of '49 graduate. Brooks then served in the US Marines from May 1952 to May 1954. Brooks worked for 20 years as a warehouse supervisor at Motorola and also as a driver for Plate Glass Distributors. Most recently he worked at Opportunity Enterprises as a driver. For many years Brooks owned and operated his own semi. Brooks loved cars and especially antique cars. He enjoyed going to car shows with his son and grandchildren and showing his 1964 Oldsmobile 98. Brooks will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Brooks is survived by his wife, Carol; 2 sons, Brooks (Melanie) Gorden of Portage and Louis (Toni) Gorden of Valparaiso; daughter, Lynn (Bill) Liesch of Portage; son-in-law, Kurt Rushing; stepchildren, Terri (Neal) Lange of Covington, GA, Cindy (Dan) Romero of Chesterton, and Michael (Yvonne) Robinson of Little Rock, AR; grandchildren, Shannon Liesch, Michael (Katie) Liesch, Jake Liesch and Rob (Mandi Dunahoo) Liesch, Adam (Ginny Weiss) Gorden, Brooks (Kristin) Gorden, Jeremy (Amanda Bollman) Gorden, Brett (Lauren McCracken) Gorden, and Tyler Gorden, Matthew Sotelo and Hannah Rushing; step grandchildren, Jason (Tara) Lange, Jessica Lange, Danny Romero, Jr., Casey, Christopher, and Cody Robinson; great grandchild, Aidan; great step grandchild, Lennon Lange; several nieces and nephews and other loving family and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marlene (nee Lindner) in 1978, daughter, Ane Rushing in August of 2012, parents, Louis and Goldie (nee Reese), granddaughter, Marlene Liesch, brother, Maxwell Gorden, sister, Violet MacDonald, niece, Joy Anton.

A funeral service for Brooks will be Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Rees Funeral Home, Hobart Chapel, 600 W. Old Ridge Rd., with Pastor Deb Rousselle officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Portage. Visitation for Brooks will be Monday, January 28, 2013 from 2-8 p.m. at Rees Funeral Home, Hobart Chapel, (219) 942-2109 or online at www.reesfuneralhomes.com.