Borleske, Phyllis Ann

Phyllis Ann Borleske, wife of the Rev. Philip A. Borleske of Vinton, Iowa, died Ash Wednesday morning, Feb. 22, 2012, at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab Center in Vinton following an extended illness.

She was born Jan. 29, 1943, in Hampton, Iowa, to J. Maurice and Hilda (Christensen) Akers and was united in marriage to Phil Borleske in Dows, Iowa, on Aug. 9, 1964.

She is survived by her husband, Phil, of Vinton; son, Stephen of Onalaska, Wis.; daughter, Renee Hepperlen, husband, Michael, and children, Thomas and Anna Marie, of Minnetonka, Minn.; son John, wife, Amanda, and children, Sorina and Malaina, of Verona, Wis.; her mother, Hilda Akers of Dows; sisters, Joyce (Mike) Davis of De Soto, Wis., Linda (Curtis) Dow of Dows and Janet (Al) Van Overmeer of Sioux Falls, S.D.; brother, John (Ann) Akers of Matthews, N.C.; sister-in-law, Judy Kebbekus of Everett, Wash.; brother-in-law, Mark Borleske of Seattle, Wash.; aunts, Ilene Christensen of Charles City, Marie Gaard of Urbandale and Ethel Spencer of Vacaville, Calif.; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their spouses. She was preceded in death by her father, J. Maurice Akers; grandson, John Christian Hepperlen; niece, Heidi Sue Kebbekus; her grandparents; and other uncles, aunts and family members.

Phyllis graduated from Dows High School in 1960 and Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, in 1964. She taught English and speech in Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota high schools; became the first director of WAFER, an ecumenical food pantry in La Crosse, Wis.; was coordinator of the Congregate (Senior) Meal site in Mount Pleasant; and served as office manager at the Swedish American Museum in Swedesburg.

She was active in the congregations served by her husband in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa and represented the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's World Hunger program. She enjoyed reading, cross-stitch, knitting, sewing, gardening, cooking and baking.

After she and her husband retired to Vinton in 2007, she volunteered with Hospice of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, became a Master Gardener and joined the Vinton Garden Club and Cottage Garden Society, participated in several local book clubs, and, with her husband, volunteered at Vinton's Palace Theatre. She and Phil were longtime volunteers at Midwest Old Threshers' events in Mount Pleasant and volunteered in post-Katrina hurricane Gulf Coast recovery efforts through Lutheran Disaster Response. They traveled extensively.

Visitation will be held at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home in Vinton on Friday, Feb. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. The service of burial will be held at First Lutheran Church in Dows on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m., where the Rev. Mark C. Urlaub of Vinton will officiate. Viewing will be held one hour before the service in Dows. Burial will be at Otis Grove Cemetery in Dows.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vinton or ELCA World Hunger.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Phyllis and her family.

Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com

Published Feb. 23, 2012 in The Gazette