John Berton Borgen
Marriages
Marcia McKay - 1957
Obituaries
dignitymemorial.com - 2019
ife for John began in Sioux Falls, SD on April 4, 1937, when Carl Gustav Borgen (“Gus”) and Eunice McDade Borgen welcomed their first child. The family relocated to Gardena, California when he was a toddler and he enjoyed an idyllic childhood in sunny Southern California. While attending Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington, CA he met the love of his life, Marcia McKay. They married in 1957 and their family soon included 3 daughters. John went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Economics from California State University at Long Beach while also working full-time to support the family.
Early in life, John developed a love of any and all motorized vehicles which eventually led to a life-long career in the automotive industry. Ever ambitious and adventurous, John accepted promotions and opportunities that resulted in the family relocating several times all over the country. Early employers included Triumph and Honda. He then worked for Carroll Shelby during the collaboration with Ford on the Cobra GT350 and GT500. After a stint as the general manager of the first Honda automobile dealer in Nevada, he began working for Nissan Motor Corp., where he spent the remainder of his career. Highlights of his Nissan career included running and greatly expanding the motorsports division and being a key member of the Infiniti brand launch team.
John was a man of many interests. He had an extensive, eclectic music collection covering many diverse genres. He loved reading, hiking, 4-wheeling, all types of motorcycle riding, and was an avid sailing enthusiast. Wherever he lived, he found an active hobby that took advantage of the local recreational opportunities and his family was always able to participate.
Besides music, John also had several other interesting and well sought-out collections over the years. Before retiring from Nissan, the home garage housed a collection of up to twenty motorcycles of various types and brands. Weekends during this time were spent working on and riding the bikes, sometimes three or four in one day. For several years, John and Marcia enjoyed taking motorcycle trips to many great locations throughout the country. John continued riding motorcycles, both on the street and in the dirt well into his seventies. Once it became too hard physically to ride, John replaced the motorcycles with a Mazda Miata. Many weekends were spent driving through scenic locations with the top down, and Marcia at his side. It was a nice way to relive memories of his youth when he and Marcia had belonged to a sports car club and had enjoyed owning and driving various makes and models.
John had an extensive library of books based on his many interests, all of which he had read. In more recent years John had collected metal die cast models of motorcycles and cars, carefully and specifically chosen to match those vehicles which he had admired or owned throughout his lifetime. After retiring from Nissan, John and Marcia relocated to Grand Junction, CO from San Pedro, CA. A new chapter of life began with many new adventures. They spent their early retirement travelling quite a bit with both family and friends. John also enjoyed being a part of two weekly “coffee” groups where he formed some very close and meaningful friendships. He belonged to a Wednesday coffee group, affectionately nicknamed the “NAG’s”, which played a large role in getting a firehouse built in the Redlands area of Grand Junction. This project also inspired John to go through training and take part in Citizens on Patrol for a time. John was also a founding member, and long-time facilitator of a Friday coffee group that meets weekly at Main Street Bagels. This group is committed to bettering the local community of Grand Junction by promoting awareness and activism while uniting all sides for a common ground for improvement. John believed that everyone should be allowed to be who they wanted to be as long as they were not harming or hindering others. While he had his definite opinions and ideas, he was also very open to hear those of other people. He was never judgmental, nor did he ever condemn, threaten or bully others for simply being themselves and having thoughts and opinions. He was truly a man of his own convictions who lived a good life, was kind to others, and offered help whenever he could. Family was always the center of life for John. He was happily married to his wife Marcia for nearly 62 years. They are true role models for their children, grandchildren and other extended family members. Besides moving around the country, John enjoyed experiencing all sorts of food, beverage and culture during his travels. The family was always included in every adventure whether in person or through the many pictures and stories of the journey. John is survived by his wife Marcia of Grand Junction, CO, daughters Wendie (Dean) Elliott of Castle Rock, CO, and Megan (Marshall) Levine of Grand Junction, CO, and son-in-law Eric Britton of Craftsbury, VT. His daughter Laura Britton passed away June 30, 2019. He also has three grandsons, Kiel (Krystin) Britton of Craftsbury, VT, Dustin (Dani) Elliott of Castle Rock, CO and Sean (soon to marry Nicole) Elliott of Virginia Beach, VA. This summer the family will welcome the first great grandchildren with the birth of identical twin girls to Dustin and Dani. John’s extended family of survivors includes his sister Susie Kellogg of Bend, OR and many nephews, nieces and their children. He also remained in touch with many friends, even dating back to high school or earlier. A Celebration of Life has been planned for July 20, 2019, at 2:00 PM at the Dominguez Hall Third Floor Terrace, Colorado Mesa University, 1248 Houston Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81501. Please dress casually and be sure to wear something red, a bright print, or your favorite motorsports attire. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name can be made to the Grand Valley Audubon Society or HopeWest Hospice. Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be provided, so if you plan to attend an RSVP to Wendie at itzwme@comcast.net would be appreciated.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 4D Obituary - July 14, 2019
John Borgen passed away March 9, 2019, after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his wife, Marcia of Grand Junction, CO; daughters, Wendie (Dean) Elliott of Castle Rock, CO, and Megan (Marshall) Levine of Grand Junction, CO, and son-inlaw, Eric Britton of Craftsbury, VT. His daughter, Laura Britton, passed away June 30, 2019. He also has three grandsons, Kiel (Krystin) Britton of Craftsbury, VT; Dustin (Dani) Elliott of Castle Rock, CO, and Sean (Nicole) Elliott of Virginia Beach, VA. Twin great-granddaughters are expected later this summer. John’s surviving extended family includes his sister, Susie Kellogg of Bend, OR, and many nephews, nieces and their children. A Celebration of Life is planned for July 20, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at the Dominguez Hall Third Floor Terrace, Colorado Mesa University, 1248 Houston Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81501. Please dress casually and be sure to wear something red, a bright print, or your favorite motorsports attire. Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be provided, so if you plan to attend please RSVP to Wendie at itzwme@comcast.net. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name can be made to the Grand Valley Audubon Society or HopeWest Hospice. For a full obituary visit www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 6A Obituary - July 17, 2019
Same obituary as Daily Sentinel on July 14, 2019
The Daily Sentinel page 4D Death Notice - March 17, 2019
n John Berton Borgen, 81, Grand Junction, died March 9, 2019, at HopeWest Hospice Care Center. Services will take place at a later date. Survivors include his wife, Marcia; three daughters, Wendie Elliot of Castle Rock, Megan Levine of Grand Junction and Laura Britton of Craftsbury, Vermont; one sister, Susie Kellogg of Bend, Oregon; and three grandchildren. Memorial contributions to HopeWest, 3090B N 12th Street, Grand Junction 81506.
