TERRANCE ALLEN VAN GORDER

75, entered Eternal Life on January 31, 2023. He was born on January 6, 1948 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the son of Clifford and Pearl (Busse) Van Gorder. Along with his parents and older sister, Sue Ann, his younger years were spent living in a coach house on the Scott family farm. Both his father and mother had extended family in the Fond du Lac area so that Terry grew up surrounded by much love and guidance from grandparents, aunts, and uncles and by much fun with cousins. In the late 1950s the family moved to the east side of Milwaukee where his father found factory work as a welder. Terrance graduated from Riverside HS in 1966 and immediately started working the assembly line at a Milwaukee factory. He eventually learned to drive truck by practicing with the company's tractor trailers in the parking lot. Finally, he had his dream job of driving truck, which he enjoyed immensely, working for Bostrum, East Texas Motor Freight, TNT, Holland, and Yellow Motor Companies before retiring at the age of 62 years old. His second career began shortly afterwards with the birth of grandchildren. For the rest of his life he was their fun loving, patient, and playful babysitter.

Terrance converted to the Roman Catholic faith in 1975 with his marriage to Mary Katherine Rozwadowski and remained an active and faithful member of many Milwaukee Catholic parishes. Together they welcomed nine children and moved into a home on Milwaukee's southside. Three years after the unexpected death of his beloved first wife, he married Lory Ann Bresina in 2006 and moved to Greendale, Wisconsin with his three youngest children and her two youngest children. He always had ample room in his heart for one more child, one more grandchild, one more friend, and one more soul mate.

Terry's knowledge and enthusiasm for music and cars were legendary. Truly, Terry was a quiet man, but get him talking about a favorite musical artist or classic muscle car, and he hit the "pedal to the metal"! Many of us were gifted with cassette tapes which he personally mixed, introducing us to new artists and their music. We have unforgettable memories of attending a myriad of musical concerts over the years. Watching him light up with joy was undoubtedly the best part of the concert experience! Terry will be remembered as a person with a gentle spirit, a wide grin, a joyful laugh, a loyal heart, and a zest for experiencing life fully in all of its goodness. He put his family above all else, but was quick to help a friend or neighbor as well. Our great loss with Terrance's passing is Heaven's great gain. May his soul now rest in Eternal Peace.

In addition to his parents he was predeceased by his first wife Mary Katherine (Rozwadowski) Van Gorder, his sister Sue Ann Van Gorder and his daughter Katherine (Van Gorder) Long. Surviving loved ones are his wife Lory Ann Bresina, children Mark (Heidi) Van Gorder, Prairie (Joseph Sass) Markussen, John (Leah) Van Gorder, Nathan Markussen, Joel (Rebecca Gregory) Van Gorder, Annie (Juan Garcia) Van Gorder, Mollie (Ramon Macias) Van Gorder, Carrie Van Gorder, Laurie (Reginald Williams) Van Gorder, Amanda (John Ehn) Van Gorder, Rebecca (Richard Baas) Carvalho and John Paul (Krista Chamberlain) Carvalho, grandchildren Cameron, Iliana, Caiden, Cora, Samantha, Maximiliano, Cole, Mason, Isabella, Manuel, Caius, Jailyn, Benjamin, Lucas, Ceridwen, Graham, Julia, Aiden, Vaida and Isla and other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 from 10-11 A.M. at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 3100 W. Parnell Avenue Milwaukee. Mass of Christian Burial at 11 A.M. will be celebrated by a family friend, Rev. Timothy Kitzke. Committal Prayers to follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. A luncheon and memory sharing gathering will be held at Pulaski Inn in Cudahy. All are welcome!

Memorials may be made to: MCW Brain Tumor Research Program - MCW Dept. of Neurology, c/o Dr. Jennifer Connelly, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI  53226 or Xaverian Missonary Fathers, 4500 W. Xavier Dr. Franklin, WI  53132

Prasser-Kleczka

South Suburban Chapel                        414-282-6080