October 15, 2010 – The world lost a Husband, Dad and Grandpa, but the skies of Heaven shined much brighter when James Borelli lost his battle to kidney disease and peacefully went to sleep and took the hands of his granddaughters Mandy and Heidi to meet our Lord and Savior.
Jim was born July 23, 1929 to Joe and Theresa (Ricci) Borelli. The eighth of nine children, Jim grew up in the Schultz Spur area in an Italian community. He attended Schultz Spur School and used to tell stories of bringing firewood for the woodstove, dipping the girls’ pigtails in the ink wells and walking to and from school in snowstorms uphill both ways.
When Jim was fourteen his Dad passed away and he left school to run the family farm. He told us stories of the team of horses he used to plow and do the fields. He also told us how he had to get a driver’s license and drove the truck to town when it had no heat. The license guy said he wasn’t going with him and gave him the license with no road test.
When Jim’s younger brother Leo became of age the Army drafted Jim for the Korean War. He was in Korea shortly after the war ended and would tell us of driving patrol truck at night with no headlights.
Jim returned from Korea in 1955 and was introduced to Marlene Patefield. His cousin called Marlene and setup the night. That night was March 7, 1955 and on September 17, 1955 they married. Their marriage gave them six children. After returning from Korea Jim began his employment at Lincoln Wood Products in Merrill. For a few years he also worked at Associated Co-op and eventually returned to work at Lincoln Wood Products retiring in 1991.
Jim will be remembered for many things but the most memorable will be his wine making abilities from his parent’s home country of Italy. His famous “Dego- Red” wine was loved by everyone and he always had bottle to share with everyone. He passed this tradition on by teaching his daughter Deb how to make it.
Jim is survived by his wife of 55 years Marlene, his six children and their spouses, Cheryl (Rick) Brown, Deb (Dick) Lupton, Jim (Marsha) Borelli, Tam (Dick) Pierce, Tony (Debbie) Borelli and Linda (Dave) Langren. Jim and Marlene have twelve surviving grandchildren, Teresa (Toby Sontag) Brown, Mark Brown, Stacey (Dave) Hoff, Sara Lupton, Jenny Borelli, James (Stephanie Lange) Borelli, Josh (Jenna Bombagi) Borelli, Michael and Matt Pierce, Brooke (Matt Wendorf) Borelli and John and Alex Langren. Jim and Marlene also have one surviving great grandchild, Zowie. He is further survived by two sisters Irma Pick, and Eleanor Wilken, one brother Leo (Edith) Borelli, two sister-in-laws Muffy (Wally) Maas and Alvera (Clifford) Lupton.
Jim joined in Heaven his two granddaughters Mandy and Heidi Brown, his parents Joe and Theresa, two brothers Henry and Louie, three sisters Lena, Mary and Irene.
Visitation for Jim will be held Monday, October 18, 2010 at Taylor Stine Funeral Home in Merrill from 4:00-8:00 pm and again from 9:30am till the service at 11:00am, Tuesday, which will also be held at the Taylor Stine Funeral Home. Internment will be in Merrill Memorial Park by his late granddaughters Mandy and Heidi. His eldest grandchildren will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family would like to thank Dr. Blonsky for his care and treatment of Dad the last 3 1/2 years during his battle with kidney disease and dialysis. Also they would like to thank the nurses at the Wausau and Merrill Dialysis Centers for their care of Dad. Your compassion shown our Dad will never be forgotten.
Thank you Dad for giving to us the gift of doing kidney dialysis, we know this hasn’t been an easy road for you. We thank God for the extra years you gave us and are grateful there is no more sickness and pain.
Last, thank you to our Mom, without your constant care of Dad we would not have had him as long as we did. Your devotion to him means the world to us.
We love you both.