Henry "Hank" Borden

It is with much sorrow that I convey this sad news. My father, Henry "Hank" Borden, passed away Wednesday morning, January 26, 2022, at Advocate Condell Hospital. He developed pneumonia last November following his September surgery for an intertrochanter fracture of his right femur (aka, hip fracture). The surgery went well but he had a severe reaction from the anesthesia and pain meds that affected his cognition and memory. In November he developed pneumonia which never cleared up. He developed severe sepsis earlier this week at which time his pneumonia became more severe as well. He was taken to Advocate Condell Hospital but was too far gone for medical treatments to be effective. He did not suffer and is now at peace. Due to Covid-19 we are not having a wake/visitation or funeral service/mass. We plan to have a Memorial Celebration of his life in May but that is yet to be determined as I will be having another back surgery in March and Rob is still recovering from an eight vertebrae fusion of his neck and upper back surgery last fall. A prayer service by Father Jim Merold will be held on Monday, January 31, 2022, at the Burnett-Dane Funeral Home in Libertyville from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm followed by his interment at Highland Memorial Park Mausoleum on Hunt Club Road in Gurnee at 1 pm. Please let me know if you plan to attend and pay your respects. I can be reached by email or phone/text (224) 436-2614 (cell). For more information, please go to www.burnettdane.com. For those who wish to make a monetary donation may do so to one of the following organizations: - Lake County Honor Flight - Marytown - Orphans of the Storm - The Rotary Foundation - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Sympathy cards may be sent to Kimberlee Borden, 375 Banbury Road, Mundelein, IL 60060-1108. Henry "Hank" Borden was born on May 3, 1922, in Braddock, Pennsylvania just 11 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River. His father worked as a core finisher at the Edgar Thompon U.S. Steel mill and his mother was a housewife. Born the 7th child of 11 children, he was one of the lucky ones that survived along with two sisters and three brothers. He was an altar boy and choir boy at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Braddock. At age 14 in order to support his family during the depression (since his father only worked one day every two weeks) he worked as a stock boy at the corner grocery store (8th Street Market). Being blessed with a sharp memory and keen math skills as well as having a great personality he was given more responsibility in taking inventory and placing merchandise orders for the store while he was in high school. During this same time, he was trained to be a meat cutter to learn more about the business. He was soon promoted to assistant manager after graduating from Braddock High School in May 1940. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in September of 1942 and served in General Patton's 3rd Army armored tank division from March 1944 through November 1945. During WWII he landed on the shores of Omaha Beach in June 1944 after D-Day and fought in many battles including St. Lo, the Sherbrook Peninsula, Nancy (France) near the Siegfried and Maginot lines, Metz (a town in the Alsace Lorraine District between France and Germany), the Battle of the Bulge near Bastogne (Belgium) and into Germany (Mainz, Frankfort, Nuremberg and Bamberg). During his enlistment in the U.S. Army, he was promoted several times finally earning the rank of Technician 4th Grade (aka, Sergeant Technician) in the 984th Ordinance Depot Company, the main depot for General Patton's 3rd Army. He received several medals for having served our country in battle during WWII including: - Good Conduct Medal - American Campaign Medal - WWII Victory Medal - European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 Bronze Stars Upon returning home from the war in Europe he returned to his old job at the 8th Street Market in Braddock, PA. He met his wife "Lee" (of 63 years) in 1947 at a local dance hall. They courted for almost a year after which time they got engaged and subsequently were married on July 10, 1948, in McKeesport, PA at St. Pius V Roman Catholic Church. Henry continued to work at the 8th Street Market until 1954 at which time he accepted a job as manager of the Club Car Diner in McKeesport, PA. While at the Club Car Diner "Hank" learned the ins-and-outs of the restaurant business which went hand-in-hand with his earlier career. In September 1955 he accepted a position as manager and owner/partner of the Red Coach Inn and Diner (formerly known as the Parkway Hotel and Diner) on Route 22 in Monroeville, PA which he managed for 22 years until the property was sold in 1977. In addition, the partnership built the Gateway Diner in 1956, also on Rt. 22 in Wilkins Township just two miles west of the Red Coach property. In 1960, the partnership acquired seven additional partners and subsequently built the Summit Diner in Somerset, PA and which is still in operation today under new owners. This diner helped feed rescue workers from the 9/11 attack on Flight 93 near Shanksville, PA. Hank joined the Monroeville Rotary Club in 1962 until 1990 when he transferred his membership to the Libertyville Rotary Club. He maintained 55+ years of "perfect" attendance, 27 years with the Libertyville Rotary Club and 28 years with the Monroeville Rotary Club where he served as Club President from 1970-71. In addition to being the President of the Monroeville Rotary Club he was also President of the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce from 1964-65 as well as being President of M.A.I.D., the Monroeville Association of Industry Development from 1972 to 1976. In 1973 he was bestowed the honor as "Man of the Year" by local community organizations including the Women's Club of Monroeville. As being a prominent member of the community, he was very instrumental in developing a plan for the vision and growth of Monroeville as well as implementing it with other community businesses and leaders during the 1960's and 1970's. Hank lived his life by the Rotary motto "Service Above Self". He enriched the lives of those who knew him. He was a remarkable man, friend, husband and father. He will be truly missed by many.

Henry "Hank" Borden

May 3, 1922 - January 26, 2022