Fr. Theodore Raymond Borger, 56, died on December 16, 2011 at the Veterans Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. He was born in Ottumwa Iowa on August 14, 1955 the fourth child and second son of the late Harold Raymond Borger and Gladys Jeanette (Turner) Borger.
He attended schools in Ottumwa, Iowa, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained to the Diaconate by the Most Reverend Gerald Francis O'Keefe, DD, Sixth Bishop of Davenport on April 8, 1982 and to the priesthood on June 18, 1983.
Father Borger was assigned All Saints Parish, Keokuk, Iowa, instructor at Cardinal Stritch High School and Pastor of the Churches of St. Mary, Nichols, St. Joseph, Columbus Junction, and Saint Malachy in Arden all in Iowa.
On November 5, 1985 he was commissioned a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) in the Chaplain Corps of the United States Naval Reserve in Iowa City, Iowa and assigned to duty as Chaplain for the 4th Medical Battalion at the Naval Reserve Center, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois.
He was promoted to Lieutenant called to active duty in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps in 1986 in Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territories.' From 1987 to 1991 he served the First Marine Division at Camp Pendleton California serving the First Marine regiment and the Third Marine Expeditionary Brigade deployed in combat operations in Operations Desert Shield/ Storm of the first Gulf War. In April of 1991 he was assigned as Chaplain Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In April of 1994 he was assigned as the Senior Catholic Chaplain at the Naval Station 32nd street, San Diego, California. On September 10th 1995 while returning home from Holy Angels he was involved in a single car accident which left him as a T8 paraplegic confined to a wheelchair. He retired and added to the permanently disabled list of the navy on February 25, 1997. He had been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal three times and the combat action ribbon among his many military awards. He was also named the Navy Chaplain of the year in 1992.
In February of 1997 he was contracted to serve as the Catholic Chaplain for the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California, the home of the Navy Seals until 2006. He also served as chaplain to Casa Hogar, Santa Teresita, home for orphan girls in Tijuana, Mexico. In February 2006 he moved to Verona, WI where he served in various parishes including St. Clare Parish at St. Victor Church in Monroe, Wisconsin.
He is survived by two brothers, John (Shela) Borger and Sam (Deb) Borger of West, TX, his sister Leslie (Bill) Orman of Ottumwa, IA, his brother-in-law Donnie Kaestner of Fort Worth, TX, 14 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sisters Christine Joy Borger and Cynthia Jeanette (Borger) Kaestner.
The Mass of Christian Burial for Fr. Borger will be held at St. Clare of Assisi Parish at St. Victor Church, 1760 14th street, Monroe, Wisconsin on Thursday, December 22 at 11:00am. Fr. William J. Seipp will preside at the Mass and Fr. Michael E. Klarer will preach. The visitation will be held at the Church from 4 to 7pm on Wednesday, December 21 and before the Mass on Thursday after 10am until the time of service. Burial will be in Ottumwa, Iowa on Friday, December 23 at 11am at Shrine Memorial Cemetery 3002 North Court Street Ottumwa, IA 52501.
Memorials can be given to St. Victor School, 1416 20th Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566.
In accordance with Fr. Borger's wishes no flowers should be sent. The Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral Home of Monroe is serving the family, 608-325-4306.
He attended schools in Ottumwa, Iowa, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained to the Diaconate by the Most Reverend Gerald Francis O'Keefe, DD, Sixth Bishop of Davenport on April 8, 1982 and to the priesthood on June 18, 1983.
Father Borger was assigned All Saints Parish, Keokuk, Iowa, instructor at Cardinal Stritch High School and Pastor of the Churches of St. Mary, Nichols, St. Joseph, Columbus Junction, and Saint Malachy in Arden all in Iowa.
On November 5, 1985 he was commissioned a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) in the Chaplain Corps of the United States Naval Reserve in Iowa City, Iowa and assigned to duty as Chaplain for the 4th Medical Battalion at the Naval Reserve Center, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois.
He was promoted to Lieutenant called to active duty in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps in 1986 in Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territories.' From 1987 to 1991 he served the First Marine Division at Camp Pendleton California serving the First Marine regiment and the Third Marine Expeditionary Brigade deployed in combat operations in Operations Desert Shield/ Storm of the first Gulf War. In April of 1991 he was assigned as Chaplain Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In April of 1994 he was assigned as the Senior Catholic Chaplain at the Naval Station 32nd street, San Diego, California. On September 10th 1995 while returning home from Holy Angels he was involved in a single car accident which left him as a T8 paraplegic confined to a wheelchair. He retired and added to the permanently disabled list of the navy on February 25, 1997. He had been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal three times and the combat action ribbon among his many military awards. He was also named the Navy Chaplain of the year in 1992.
In February of 1997 he was contracted to serve as the Catholic Chaplain for the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California, the home of the Navy Seals until 2006. He also served as chaplain to Casa Hogar, Santa Teresita, home for orphan girls in Tijuana, Mexico. In February 2006 he moved to Verona, WI where he served in various parishes including St. Clare Parish at St. Victor Church in Monroe, Wisconsin.
He is survived by two brothers, John (Shela) Borger and Sam (Deb) Borger of West, TX, his sister Leslie (Bill) Orman of Ottumwa, IA, his brother-in-law Donnie Kaestner of Fort Worth, TX, 14 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sisters Christine Joy Borger and Cynthia Jeanette (Borger) Kaestner.
The Mass of Christian Burial for Fr. Borger will be held at St. Clare of Assisi Parish at St. Victor Church, 1760 14th street, Monroe, Wisconsin on Thursday, December 22 at 11:00am. Fr. William J. Seipp will preside at the Mass and Fr. Michael E. Klarer will preach. The visitation will be held at the Church from 4 to 7pm on Wednesday, December 21 and before the Mass on Thursday after 10am until the time of service. Burial will be in Ottumwa, Iowa on Friday, December 23 at 11am at Shrine Memorial Cemetery 3002 North Court Street Ottumwa, IA 52501.
Memorials can be given to St. Victor School, 1416 20th Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566.
In accordance with Fr. Borger's wishes no flowers should be sent. The Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral Home of Monroe is serving the family, 608-325-4306.