Benjamin "Ben" Brooks

Ocala - Benjamin "Ben" W. Brooks, Jr., 69, passed away May 24, 2018 under the amazing care of Hospice of Marion County following a short albeit courageous battle with cancer. Born March 11, 1949, in Montclair, New Jersey, to Benjamin W. Brooks, Sr. and Michaela Silvis Brooks. He graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1967 and Northwood Institute in Midland, Michigan in 1971 majoring in Automotive Marketing.  Ben moved to Florida in 1980.  He worked many years in both the automotive and advertising industries.  He owned Tri County Sound for many years before starting B & B Gateworks, a gate installation company for many years.   Ben was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved traveling to Virginia to see his extended family.  He enjoyed genealogy, the New York Yankees, making sauce, drinking red wine, and most of all his family.
In addition to his loving wife Barbara, Ben is survived by his mother, Michaela Brooks of Howell, NJ; daughters, Lora (Alex) Iosa of Palm Harbor, Lane (Garrett) Palmisano of Tampa; step-daughters Nicole (Scott) Schutt of Greensboro, NC and Jamie (Jay) McKinney of Kannapolis, NC; Brothers Doug Brooks of Howell, NJ, Chris (Maureen) Brooks of Alpharetta, GA; Sister Melinda (Richard) Brooks Bockenek of Cambridge, MA; grandchildren Addison and Harper Iosa; step-grandchildren Zack and Taylor Schutt, Carter, Riley, and Mason McKinney; many cousins; several nieces and nephews and many friends.  He was preceded in death by his father Benjamin W. Brooks Sr.

A memorial mass will be held at 11:30 am, Saturday, June 9, 2018, at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Ocala, FL, with Father Patrick Sheedy officiating. He will be laid to rest in Highland Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the care of Countryside Funeral Home, Anthony, FL.  In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made in Ben’s name to the Hospice of Marion County.