John E. Borgert

John Emery Borgert, 83, died Tuesday, October 17, 2023, from complications associated with dementia at Orchards of Minnetonka Memory Care Facility in Minnetonka, MN. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, October 30, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Swanville, MN, with Father Ron Dockendorf officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 P.M. on Sunday, October 29, 2023, and 1 hour prior to the service on Monday, October 30 at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Swanville. Lunch will be served after the Mass. Burial will take place in the Parish Cemetery. John was born March 28, 1940, in St. Cloud, MN to Marie (McDonald) and Joseph Borgert. John grew up with his five siblings in St. Cloud and graduated from Cathedral High School in 1958. He continued his studies at St. Cloud State University, graduating with a degree in education. He took his first teaching job in Swanville, MN shortly after graduation and continued to teach there until his retirement 36 years later in June 1999. It was there in Swanville that he met his wife, fellow teacher, Diane McNamara. They married on June 12, 1971, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Diane’s hometown of New Town, ND. In addition to teaching and coaching in the Swanville school, John gave back to his community by serving on both the Swanville City Council and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Parish Council for many years. He spent many hours volunteering with the Swanville Lions Club, church youth group, and Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County. John enjoyed living and raising his family in the small town of Swanville. He was an active member of the community and could be seen at all of the school's athletic, music, and theater events; riding his bike around town and along the county line; working in his gardens where he was always eager to share his bounty; mowing lawns and shoveling snow at the church and for anyone in need of help; and visiting neighbors. He loved watching sports of all varieties, reading the daily newspaper, driving the combine during harvest on Diane’s family farm, watching the snow fall from his living room window and spending time with his immediate and extended family. The addition of grandchildren to his family brought him profound joy. John was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Marie Borgert; father-in-law, Donald McNamara; sister,Rosemary Borgert; brothers, Robert and Thomas Borgert; and sisters-in-law, Patricia Borgert and Colleen Borgert. In addition to Diane, his wife of 52 years; John is survived by his children, Jeffrey Borgert (Mackenzie Lindahl), Jennifer Borgert (Brian Bergson), Nicole Borgert (Tony Valkevich), and Jessica (John) Rhodes; grandchildren, Zinnia Borgert, Owen and Fintan Bergson, Nora Valkevich, and Jackson and Joseph Rhodes; sister, Barbara (Donald) Snyder; brother, Jerome Borgert; brother-in-law, David (Edith) McNamara; sister-in-law, Sally Borgert; and many nieces and nephews. John’s family would like to thank the staff at Orchards Memory Care and Brighton Hospice for their compassionate care during these last few months of his life.

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John E. Borgert

March 28, 1940 - October 17, 2023