James Borcherding
September 28, 1928 ~ April 30, 2014
James R. Borcherding, age 85, of Mabel, MN formerly of Fredericksburg, IA, died Wednesday April 30, 2014, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 3, 2014, at the Peace United Church of Christ, Fredericksburg with Pastor Burt Williams officiating. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Fredericksburg.
Friends may greet the family beginning at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 3, 2014, at the Peace United Church of Christ in Fredericksburg.
Arrangements are with Hugeback - Johnson Funeral Home in Fredericksburg. (563) 237-6212
James was born September 28, 1928, on a farm near Sumner, IA in Chickasaw County, the son of Albert and Ruth (McConkey) Borcherding. He was known to friends as Jim. He was baptized in St John’s Lutheran Church, Sumner and confirmed in Peace United Church of Christ in Fredericksburg. He attended country school in Alpha graduating from Fredericksburg High School in 1946. He enrolled in Upper Iowa University and obtained a 3 year rural school teaching certificate. He taught near Fredericksburg at McFarland School and Dawson School with 18 students in 9 grades.
James continued his 4-H activities showing Guernsey cattle at county, district, State Fair and Cattle Congress. He won Guernsey showmanship, State 4-H dairy record book contest and Rosebud Farm production. In 1948, he won a trip to National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago. In 1949, he was on the State Champion 4-H Judging team and was named State 4-H Dairy Club member. He worked in Iowa State Extension as Youth Assistant in Chickasaw, Black Hawk and Poweshiek Counties.
He attended Iowa State College majoring in Dairy Science. Leadership roles in college included: Dairy Science Club (President), Block and Bridle Club, Campus 4-H, YMCA (Secretary), Ag Council (VP), Iowa State Ag Staff, Alumni Hall (Head Advisor) member Farmhouse Fraternity. Honors included: Sigma Delta Chi (Journalism), Gamma Sigma Delta (Scholarship & Leadership), Alpha Zeta (Agriculture) and a member of Dairy and Livestock judging teams in 1953 & 1955. He has been a judge of all breeds of dairy cattle in Iowa & surrounding states, a member of Dairy Shrine Club and distinguished graduate of Iowa State University.
He served as Assist Editor, Associate Editor, Senior Dairy Editor and Dairy Editor Emeritusof Successful Farming. He retired in 1991 and did free lance articles for a time. James loved his work and his co workers were extended family. He wrote thousands of words in articles about dairy farm families that displayed a passion for quality photographs. He traveled to farms, meetings, and ag colleges keeping up with new ideas and technology. He had a kind and thoughtful style of interviewing and was a good listener. His articles provided information on new technology, embryo transfer and cloning.
James lived in Des Moines for 50 years. He was a member of St John’s Lutheran Church and Living History Farms. He was lifetime member of Iowa State Alumni Association, American Dairy Science Association and honorary member of Agricultural Editor’s Association. He received the National FFA Distinguished Service Award and named in Who’s Who in the Midwest. He is a member of Calmar Dairy Foundation, Winneshiek Co Genealogical Society, Historical Society and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). His McConkey family dates back to Pennsylvania during the war in 1776. The McConkey Inn on the Delaware River is the location where Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Eve 1776 to March to Trenton, New Jersey. James had 2 Bremer County Iowa farm families listed in the 1856 census-Fowle and McDonald. James did a great deal of family genealogy searches and passed details on to family members. Jim was always there for his family, taking pictures and helping whenever they needed him. He was affectionately, “Uncle Jim” to all his nieces and nephews.
He is survived by one brother, Jack (Sharon) Borcherding of Decorah, IA. Seven nieces and nephews: Dr Scott (Dee) Hinders, Gene (Terri) Hinders, Bryan Robinson, James (Dana) Robinson, Tina (Dennis) Quam, Alan (Crystal) Borcherding, Tessa (Pete) Numedahl. Great nieces and nephews: Calvin, Connor, Caleb, Taylor, Payton, Jaron and Skyelin.
He was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Ruth Borcherding and sister Brenda Robinson.
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I worked with Jim at Successful Farming from 1973 to 1977. He was a kind, supportive person who always stuck up for me as one of the ‘new guys’ on the staff. He was optimistic and sincere and a real team player. Everyone liked him. Rest in peace, Jim. Bill Gergen Lakeville, Minn.
Our sympathies to you and your family. My daughters and I stopped to visit Jim about a year ago. My dad, Amos Brandenburg, spoke of him when we were in the Decorah area. Although it was the first time I had met Jim, we had quite a long conversation. He had some interesting stories and pictures to share. I can bet Dad and Jim will run into each other in heaven and have quite a conversation about dairy farming! They both shared a love for dairy cattle! Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
My deepest sympathy to Jim’s family. I was 14 yrs old and I helped clean house for his grandparents on weekends. My family lived as neighbors to Albert and Ruth 3 miles east of Federicksburg. Jim was my first real romantic crush and I think I asked him if he would wait for me to grow up so we could get married. Oh my! I think he pacified me by confirming he would with that wonderful smile and his soft spoken words. He was so successful and a wonderful brother to his sister Brenda. I have not seen Jim for many, many years but I will always have that memory of that wonderful man Janice Fenneman Manson
I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Jim. I worked as his editorial assistant at Successful Farming magazine for six years during the 1990s. He was gentle and kind and a perfectionist in his writing – he loved his work and loved visiting all the dairy farm families. He always spoke so highly of his own family and you could tell he adored them and was concerned for them. The last few years he and I exchanged Christmas cards and we always included a little letter to one another about what was happening in our lives at that time. When I didn’t receive a card this Christmas, I wondered why – now I know. I so wish I had gone to visit him. My sincere sympathies go out to his family. Jeri Trilk, Norwalk, IA.
Always respected Jim’s thoughtful incite. He had a quiet manner, a grin on his face. His knowledge of the dairy industry and clear, crisp writing was a hallmark in Agricultural journalisam. We visited many times at meetings, enjoyed his sense of humor and gentlemanly personality—–a friend. May the good memories of family times sustain you all…….Monte Sesker, retired editor of Wallaces Farmer; Cambridge, Iowa.
I enjoyed talking with Jim at our genealogy meetings and also at the antiques shows in Des Moines when I worked for a friend. I would say he was one of the Renaissance men of his generation. Diane Meier Green
Jim was my 3rd grade teacher at the McFarland school. He was one of my favorite teachers. Dave Richardson
I met Jim when he was a resident at the Aase Haugen Assisted Living apartments. He lived across the hall from my Mother, Iona Kubesh. What a great guy! He was so kind to my Mom. She appreciated his friendship. I was the recipient of pictures Jim had taken of my Mom with flowers she had received on several occasions. He was so proud of his pictures; he did a great job. I have tried to keep in touch with Jim since my Mom passed away in December of 2009, and I will treasure his last correspondence he had hand written to me a year ago this past Christmas. What a life well-lived! Know his family will miss his presence in their lives. Connie Kubesh Becker
Jim was my dad’s (Richard Lomen) roommate at Iowa State Unv. I remember his visits to the farm and he would bring recent articles he had written and pictures to show us kids. His pictures were beautiful of the Iowa farms and countryside. What a gentle and interesting man. I enjoyed my visits with him at the home. What fond memories I have of him. Peace to the family. Natalie (Lomen) Hentrich, Bartlett, Illinois
I’m sorry that I have not met any of Jim’s family but have certainly heard about you from Jim while I was employed at Successful Farming from 1992-2002. What a wonderful gentlemen indeed. My first memory of Jim was during the 1992 Iowa State Fair, when, after the staff breakfast on the grounds, he and Rod Fee gave several of us an insider’s view of the fair, which only the two of them could do. Between them they must have totalled over a 100 years of fair experience and I’m lucky they were my guides. Jim and I also had lunch in the company dining hall numerous times during my 10 years there; more times than I can count, so we shared much of our lives and experiences. We also did some social things so I have been to his apartment and been overwhelmed by the duck decoys too. One job, one apartment, no wife. Surely God threw away the mold after creating Jim. I count it a blessing that he was my friend.
Jim was a dear friend to me and all of the staff at Successful Farming. I am having many thoughts of him tonight, recalling his tasteful and careful collections of all things related to the dairy industry. I believe he also was a nationally known collector of fine duck decoys. Jim was the best dressed editor at Successful Farming. His was a fine wardrobe of clothes, perfect for an ‘executive’ livestock editor at a national farm magazine. I regret very much that I did not visit him in Decorah in recent years. He will be missed and will be spoken of with fond memories whenever his fellow editors gather together. Rest in Peace, Jim, and may there be a few champion dairy cows in heaven for you to judge and to appreciate. Mike Hood
Our thoughts and prayers are wit you, Dean and Judy Speicher
You are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Dena and Zac Palmer