Comments (...)Mr. Louis C. "Lou" Borger, 91, of Morris, passed away peacefully early Friday morning, Feb. 1, 2013, at Morris Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center with his loving family by his side.
Born Sept. 9, 1921, in Freeburg, Ill., Louis was the youngest child of Louis and Ida (Conrath) Borger. He graduated with the class of 1939 from Freeburg High School, where he was very active in sports, especially baseball. He attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill.
Lou married the love of his life, Betty Lou Sopp, on March 18, 1944, in Belleville, Ill.
In 1944, Lou entered the employment of the St. Clair County Service Company (FS). Then in 1947, with his wife and family, they were transferred to Morris to manage the Grundy Service Company, a position he held for 24 years. In 1971, he became the distribution analyst in the Supply and Distribution Division for Growmark FS in Bloomington, retiring in 1983. He then was employed as a real estate agent with Coleman-Hornsby Century 21 Real Estate office in Morris for several years.
He spent many years giving of himself and his time to service in his community. He was a member for 35 years of volunteer fire departments, 25 of those years were with the Morris Volunteer Fire Department.
He was a loyal member of the First United Methodist Church and served as the church auditor, served for eight years on the Morris Fire Protection and Ambulance District Board, was a member of the Morris High School Board of Education for nine years, a member of the Morris Rotary Club for 15 years, a member of the Morris Hospital Board for three years, a member of the Morris Country Club for 50 years, a member of Growmark Pioneer Club, a lifetime member of Mazon Lodge #826 A.F. & A.M., and a member of Happy Hill Aerie #1024 F.O.E.in Morris. For many of these organizations, he served as president.
Lou was an avid sports fan, especially following the Morris Redskins. In his youth, he was an excellent pitcher. He enjoyed duck and goose hunting trips to southern Illinois, and fishing and golfing. He truly loved to spend time with his fellow firemen and enjoyed a good game of cards during the day at the fire station. He was a loving grandfather who will be missed by all that knew him.
Survivors include his loving wife of almost 69 years, Betty and their children, Gayle and her husband Everett Green, David and his wife Martha, Kent and his wife Diane, and Janis and her husband Guy Christensen, all of Morris; nine ggrandchildren, Robert Green, Kristi Borger, Adam (Boni) Borger, Kelly (Dan) Mitchell, Katie Christensen, Nicole (Cory) Jackson, Brittany Borger, Josh (Penny) Robbins and Justin Robbins; nine great-grandchildren, Jace and Josie Mitchell, Ethan, Benjamin and Alexander Green, Broden Jackson and Brynn, Tess and Luke Robbins; along with several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; five sisters, Flora, Estella, Ida, Irma and Gladys; and six brothers, William, Clemens, Harry, Arthur, Harvey and Fred.
Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, at U.C. Davis & Sons Funeral Home Ltd., 301 W. Washington St., Morris.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church, 118 W. Jackson St., Morris. Rev. Deborah Percell and Rev. Scott McClellan will officiate.
Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Robert Coleman and Calvin Hammond. Serving as pallbearers will be Adam Borger, Robert Green, Dan Mitchell, Cory Jackson, Joshua Robbins and LeRoy Claypool.
The family would like to thank the caring staff at Morris Healthcare and Joliet Hospice for all the loving care they provided for our husband and father.
Preferred form of remembrance would be memorial gifts in Lou’s memory directed to the First United Methodist Church or Joliet Area Community Hospice.
Condolences to the family can be shared online at www.ucdavisandsons.com.
U.C. Davis & Sons Funeral Home Ltd., 301 W. Washington St., Morris, is in charge of arrangements. For more information, call (815) 942-0084.
