John Rhinehardt Borgen (1876-1944)

BORGEN, LOCKWOOD, BOWERS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/14/2013 at 15:49:45

From Nevada Evening Journal March 7, 1944

Sudden Death of John R. Borgen Shocks Nevada

The community received a distinct shock early today when the sudden death of John R. Borgen, local business man, was announced.

John R. Borgen, 68, native son of Nevada and long associated with the business interest of the city died very suddenly of a heart attack at his home, 328 J aveneue, at 4:30 a.m. today.

The body was taken to the Morfoot funeral home and definite funeral arrangements await word from the sons in the services.

While Mr. Borgen had not been feeling his best of late, he had been at the store as usual yesterday and spent the evening at home, while Mrs. Borgen attended a P. E. O. meeting.

He appeared to be feeling as usual when they retired and it was not until 4 a.m. this morning that he complained of a pain in his heart. Mrs. Borgen had been applying some first aid relief when he suddenly collapsed and passed away.

Mr. Borgen, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin L. Borgen, Nevada pioneers, was born in Nevada, March 23, 1876, attended and graduated from the local school and was for a time employed in local lumber years, until he left here about 1900 for Hartland, Minn., where he took charge of a line yard. This position he filled until 1915, when he returned to Nevada to assist his brother Louis O. Borgen in conducting the M. L. Borgen & Son Furniture store.

About a year after going to Minnesota, on Aug 20, 1901, he returned to Nevada and was married to Miss Lessie Lockwood, daughter of another pioneer family.

Five sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Borgen, all of them surviving the father. They are Lieut. Commander Kenneth Borgen of the U. S. Navy, now stationed at Tacoma, Washington; Dr. Donald Borgen, a practicing physician at Gowrie, Iowa; Phillip Borgen for several years an invalid and confined in a hospital; Lieut. James Borgen of the U. S. Field Artillery, now at Fort Sill and Pfc. John R. Borgen, who has been overseas for th past two years and is now fighting on the Italian front.

Besides these sons he is survived by his wife, brothers, L. O. Borgen and Clyde Borgen and a sister, Grace, now Mrs. H. W. Bowers of 1125 Eighth street, all of Nevada.

Since returning to Nevada he had been active in business and civic affairs, being on the original membership of the local rationing board.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Borgen had been active in the affairs of Central Presbyterian church, he holding a position of the church board of trustees and was treasurer of the congregation for many years.

Mr. Borgen was an active and dependable business man and highly regarded citizen of the community, with a wide acquaintance over the county.

Funeral arrangements await word from the sons who are at a distance, three of them being in the armed services.