June Borden

Mrs. June Ellen Minnerly Borden, 92, of Frederick, MD, died peacefully in her sleep Wednesday, July 15, 2015. She was the devoted wife of Leon Borden, the love of her life for 70 years, who predeceased her this past February.

Born February 4, 1923 in Johnson City, NY, June was the daughter of Lillian and Robert Minnerly, an Endicott Johnson shoe factory manager. In her youth she spent many hours playing the piano accompanied by her brother Bob on the violin. After growing up in the southern tier of New York, she heeded the guidance and persistence of her mother to go to college in 1941, a time when women generally got married after high school and didn't go to college. June attended the all-women’s Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA, where her grandson would attend 50 years later. While at Mary Washington, June won a beauty pageant and went on to be elected the Student Government President. She graduated in 1945 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Piano.

Towards the end of her schooling a childhood friend reappeared on campus looking very sharp, dapper, and handsome. With women hanging out of dorm windows whistling at Leon Borden in his Navy uniform, he boldly walked up to June and said, “Either accept my ring, or it's goodbye!”

They were married in 1945 right as the war ended. After the war, June worked at IBM to help put Leon through college in Schenectady, NY after which they settled in Fishkill, NY where June raised seven children while Leon worked as an engineer for IBM. She is survived by her seven children, Ellan Brussee and spouse Lenny of Middletown, DE; Susan Landon and spouse Tom of Frederick; Catherine Porter-Borden of Frederick; Leon Borden and spouse Roberta of Ridgefield, CT; Robert Borden and spouse Salli-Jo of Farmington, CT; Diana Friedell and spouse Ben of Oneonta, NY; and John Borden and spouse Sharon of Fairfax, VA; and her sister-in-law, Marcia Branick of Alexandria, VA. Those 7 children gave her 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren creating the large family June and Leon always dreamt of.

June’s lifelong passion was classical piano, a love she passed to her children by waking them up every morning to the sound of the latest piece she was practicing for Matinee Musicale. She sang for many years in the church choir, both in Fishkill and in Ocala, FL. June enjoyed dancing, cross stitch, knitting, sewing, crosswords, and was a self-professed bookaholic. At the age of 92, she was still reading 2 or more books per day. Her greatest joy was her large family and the summers she spent with them at Garnet Lake in Johnsburg, NY.

Memorial services will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 1st, at Christ Reformed Church, 12 S Church St, Middletown, MD 21769. Officiating will be the Rev. James Spiller.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to Citizens Care and Rehabilitation Center of Frederick, MD that took such good care of Mom this past month, or the Johnsburg Emergency Squad (<http://johnsburgemergencysquad.com/donate/>) to support emergency services in the Garnet Lake area.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.staufferfuneralhome.com <http://www.staufferfuneralhome.com> or on June’s Facebook page.