James Loren Brooks

James Loren Brooks, 90, passed away Sunday, August 21, 2016, at Good Samaritan Society-Valley Vista, in Wamego, KS. He had been a resident of Wamego since he and his wife Janet moved from Hardin, MT, in 2011 to be close to family. Loren was born at home near Lansford, N.D., on Oct. 2, 1925, the son of James E. and Goldie (Tittle) Brooks. He attended country school at Forfar and began fourth grade in Glenburn where he graduated from high school. He was united in marriage with Janet Phillips on April 10, 1948, in Minot, N.D. She was his soulmate by his side for 68 years, most of it spent ranching and farming in N.D. and then Montana. He and his brother Bob operated Brooks Hereford Ranch at Lansford and Burlington, N.D. The brothers were an innovative team in the early days of cattle performance testing and in 1958 began a many year run of successful production sales. They displayed bull carloads in the Yards in Denver in the 1950’s and Loren took pride in having attended 51 consecutive National Western Stock Shows. The Brooks Ranch was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2014. In 1975 Loren and Janet moved to Big Horn County, MT, where they, along with the Gary and Vickie Bishop family, continued to run a large herd of Registered and commercial Herefords until 2001. Loren loved ranching in Big Sky Country and the camaraderie with neighboring ranchers. He judged cattle shows across the U.S. and in Canada, served as President of N.D. and MT Hereford Assn’s, a Director of the N.D. Beef Cattle Improvement Assn., co-organizer for the ND Hereford Assn. 4U Sale, Chaired American Hereford Assn’s State Presidents’ Council and on various AHA committees. In 2004 Brooks Ranch was recognized by AHA as a 50 Year Plus Golden Breeder. He was an active church member, serving as a trustee and building committee member at Glenburn Baptist and was a founding member of Gateway Christian Center, Hardin, MT., a community of believers near and dear to his heart. His final home, Kansas, wasn’t in his heart like Montana but both he and Janet loved being near grandchildren and great grandchildren and being a part of their lives. He commented often, watching from Bill and Vickie’s deck, about the beauty of Kansas sunsets. His survivors include a daughter, Vickie Bishop Kern (Bill), three granddaughters: Jodi Jordan (Toby) of Rensselaer, IN; Tami Weaber (Bob) of Wamego; Kristi Bishop of Stillwater, OK, and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service for Mr. Brooks will be held at 9:00 a.m. September 3, 2016 at the Gateway Christian Center north of Hardin. Inurnment service for Loren and Janet will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot, ND, at 2:00 p.m. September 4, 2016. Memorials are suggested to Gateway Christian Center, Hardin, MT., or Hereford Youth Foundation of America, Kansas City, MO., and may be left in care of Stewart Funeral Home, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547. Online condolences may be left at www.stewartfuneralhomes.com.