Fishers Landing, NY – Wm. Bruce Borwegen, 86, of Reed’s Point Road died unexpectedly on Thursday, July 13, 2017 at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse. Bruce, son of the late William Borwegen and Eleanor Louise Steim, was raised in Franklin Square, Long Island, NY, an only child. After graduation from Sewanhaka High School, Floral Park, NY, he joined the US Navy and served for four years. He proudly held the Electrician’s Mate Third Class rank when honorably discharged in 1952. Bruce married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Joan Mantz, later that year.
Although Bruce began his career as a naval electrician, he chose plumbing and heating as his life-long trade. The young couple grew to love the Catskill mountains where Marilyn worked summers at Sunny Hill Farm Resort in Freehold, NY. They settled in those mountains in the hamlet of Oak Hill to raise their family and partnered with Freehold friends, Gunther and Rosemarie Preisner, to launch and grow B&G Contractors Plumbing and Heating. Upon his “retirement” in 1985, the couple relocated to Fishers Landing in the Thousand Islands region of upstate New York, a favorite family vacation spot.
Incapable of being idle, Bruce became a school bus driver, instructor, and examiner for the Thousand Islands Central Schools while continuing to provide plumbing, heating and electrical services in his new community, retiring again in 2007.
Believing in the importance of public service, Bruce was a lifetime member and former chief of the Oak Hill-Durham Volunteer Fire Company. He served as Greene County Fire Coordinator and, for a time, was a member of the Fishers Landing Volunteer Fire Department. He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the International Good Will Committee of the Canadian & American Legions, and until his demise was an active member and served as Finance Officer for Colon Couch American Legion Post #821, Clayton, NY.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Marilyn, sons, Robert and Eric, and son-in-law, Gerald A. Siesfeld. Survivors include his daughter, Gail Borwegen Siesfeld, Averill Park, NY; son, Ralph (Teresa Baitsholts) Borwegen, Greenville, NY; grandchildren, Lacey Borwegen (Daniel) Sala, Shana Borwegen (Grif) Fig, Kristy Borwegen, and Jonathan (Amanda Cettina) Borwegen; three great-granddaughters and two great-grandsons; along with step grandchildren, step great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to call at Cummings Funeral Service, Inc., 320 John St., Clayton, NY, on Saturday, 7/22/17, from 11am-1pm.
Relatives and friends are also invited to call at Cunningham Funeral Home, Rt 81, Greenville, NY, on Friday, 7/28/17 from 6-8pm.
Funeral Service 12pm on Saturday, 7/29/17 at the Cunningham Funeral Home, Rt 81, Greenville, NY, followed by an interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, Rt 81, Oak Hill, NY, immediately following. Bruce and Marilyn will be interred together.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Wm. Bruce Borwegen may be made to the
American Cancer Society, https://donate3.cancer.org or
Oak Hill-Durham Volunteer Fire Company, POB 51, Oak Hill, NY 12460.
Visit www.cummingsfuneral.com for directions and private guestbook or
Visit http://ajcunninghamfh.com for same.