Funeral Service 2:30 PM ~ Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church, Manning Heritage Park, Manning
Pastor Jonathan Conner Officiating
Congregational Hymns "Amazing Grace" "In The Garden" "The Old Rugged Cross" Carolyn Kerkhoff, Organist
Casket Bearers are Byron Borkowski Collin Borkowski Brian Borkowski Jessie Hopkins Lucas Hopkins Jacob Thraen
Honorary Casket Bearers are Lauren Botine Lucy Borkowski Sara Thraen Jessica Thraen Samantha Hopkins Jocelyn Squatrito Nate Botine Scott Lusk Steve, and Pat Gawley
Interment with Military Honors from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517, American Legion Post 22, United States Army Honor Guard at Oak Hill Cemetery, Irwin
Ohde Funeral Home in charge of services
Gene Carl Borkowski, son of Carl L. and Lucy (Gawley) Borkowski was born May 3, 1931, at home in Audubon, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in rural Audubon. Gene attended country school at Jefferson Township No. 7 and Jefferson No. 8, and Irwin High School, graduating in 1949. Gene then farmed with his father and other neighbors.
On March 13, 1952, Gene was inducted into the U.S. Army. He attended basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, and continued with six weeks of mountain cold weather training at Camp Carson, Colorado. In October of 1952, he was re-stationed to Camp Roeder, Austria, where he took signal communications training and was assigned as a radio operator and driver to the Headquarters Company of the 350th Infantry Regiment. Gene received his honorable discharge on March 1, 1954, with the rank of Corporal.
On November 7, 1954, Gene was united in marriage with Roberta "Bobbie" R. Kracht at the Zion Parsonage in Denison. Five Children were born to this union. Gene then worked for three years with the Green Bay Lumber Company in Harlan. In 1957, they moved to a farm in Audubon County where he started his farming career. In 1961, they moved to a farm in Shelby County, and in 1970, they purchased the Gawley farm which later became a Century Farm. He semi-retired in 1985.
Gene was a long-time member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irwin, but recently transferred his membership to Zion Lutheran Church in Manning in 2020.
He served as a P.C.A. board member (Farm Credit) for 8 years and also as township trustee for Jefferson Township. He enjoyed farming, buying and restoring John Deere tractors, going to farm sales, and going on Sunday drives, especially to Dairy Queen. Gene and Bobbie enjoyed traveling with their family and friends to all 50 states, as well as, The Bahamas and Europe.
After declining health since January of 2021, Gene died on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at his home near Irwin, Iowa. He was 90 years, 5 months, and 3 days of age.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Lucy Borkowski; daughter Sheryl Hopkins; and granddaughter Jennifer Wulf.
Gene is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bobbie Borkowski of Irwin; children: Kevin Borkowski and wife Connie of Harlan; David Borkowski and wife Pamela of Irwin; Steven Borkowski and wife Holly of Manilla; and Susan Thraen and partner Brian Yoch of Mesa, Arizona; son-in-law Norm Hopkins of Colfax; 12 grandchildren: Byron Borkowski, Jocelyn Squatrito, Brian Borkowski, Lauren Botine, Collin Borkowski, Lucy Borkowski, Sara Thraen, Jessica Thraen, Jacob Thraen, Lucas Hopkins, Jessie Hopkins, and Samantha Hopkins; 7 great-grandchildren: Serifina Squatrito, Grant Squatrito, Kayden Erwin, Emma Erwin, Nash Hopkins, Sawyer Hopkins, and Jennifer Lusk; brother Vernon Borkowski and wife Leota of Coon Rapids, Minnesota; sister Sharon and husband Dean Axland of Ames; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.