Services Thursday for Seattle Businessman Joseph Leroy Gordon, 1924-2012

Retired Seattle business owner, Joseph LeRoy Gordon, died March 13 at Virginia Mason Hospital at age 88. Gordon had battled age-related illness for some time. He was well known for  LeRoy Gordon's Auto Repair, whose clients included Sears, King County Metro Transit, Bill Russell, Larry Gossett and other notable Seattle residents.

Born in Prairie Basse on a farm near Carencro, La. to Joseph Washington and Andrea LeBlanc Gordon, Gordon grew up in a large family of three brothers and six sisters--Emery, Ludie, Charley, Christiana, John, Annabelle, Rita, Lela and Imelda. In 1944 he was drafted into the army, where he served at the military police station on Staten Island, N.Y. He later studied engineering at Texas Southern Univ. in Houston.

Gordon later joined his brother-in-law, Herman Decuir, a certified electrician, in Seattle. Gordon subsequently became certified in automotive repair. He then joined his brothers, Charley and Johnny, and two other partners in Gordon & Jones Auto Repair. Subsequently he operated the business, LeRoy Gordon's Auto Repair, for over 15 years.

For over 47 years Gordon and his wife, Helen, lived on Mercer Island, Wash.

The funeral will be held at Immaculate Heart Catholic Church, March 22, with a viewing at 9 a.m., and a rosary at 9:30. Services begin at10 a.m. Burial follows at Tahoma National Cemetery, Maple Valley.

Gordon is survived by his wife of 50 years, Helen (Reaux); sons, Michael Meadows (who preceded him in death); Joseph (Lee) LeRoy, Jr. ( Eloisa), Mercer Island; Jason (Wendy) Portland; and daughter, Bridget (Vincent Oliver), Los Angeles. Sisters, Annabelle Decuir, Wash; Lela Mouton and Rita  Stemley, La.; and Imelda Oden, Calif. and granddaughters, Isabella, Catharina, Zoey and Nina. People's Memorial Funeral Cooperative is in charge of arrangements.