- Date Of Birth: June 16, 1921
- Date Of Death: March 10, 2006
- State: Indiana
Gerald Jerry Borchers passed away Friday night, March 10 2006, in the Saint Josephs Regional Medical Center after a brief illness..
Gerald was born in Marinette, Wisconsin to Henry and Dorothy Borchers. After high school, he traveled the country while he worked for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. Answering our nations call to duty Gerald enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943. Sent to Notre Dame for officers training, there he met the love of his life, the beautiful Helen Boots Janowiak. During W.W.II Gerald served gallantly in the South Pacific. He was awarded a silver star for heroic achievements during the battle of Guadacanal. He was severely wounded during a firefight and received a purple heart. After the war he married Helen on September 14, 1946. In 1947 he graduated with honors from St. Norberts College. That year he began a thirty four year career with the Torrington Ball Bearing Co. as their personnel manager. He served two terms with distinction as President of the Personnel Management Association. Gerald retired from Torrington in 1981 but never retired from life. Gerald kept active fishing, swimming, skiing, and ice skating with his friends at Notre Dame. Always the life of the party, Gerald enjoyed attending world premier movies in Hollywood. When sick, Gerald received calls and cards from Jay Leno, Tim Allen and Drew Carey. Caring about others, he volunteered his services for seventeen years to Meals on Wheels. Gerald was a special, loving, caregiver to his wife Helen, who passed away in 2000. A wonderful husband, father, and friend to all, Geralds spirit lives on in the hearts of his children, David Borchers, Josette Abrams, Jon Borchers, Mary Flynn, his sister-in-law D Pat Piasecki, and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, grandchildren and great-grand children. Gerald Borchers made an impact on everyone he met. His dry sense of humor and impeccable timing was classic. When family and friends recall Gerald it will be with a funny story, a wry smile, a hearty laugh, and a feeling that he was truly, one of a kind.
