Frank B. Borowiec

Frank B. Borowiec, age 97, of Brookhaven, Ga and formerly of Buffalo, NY left this world on Saturday, April 2nd. A loving and devoted husband, father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, neighbor and friend, he had served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration from 1968 until his retirement in 2010.

Judge Borowiec was a meteorologist during World War II with the U.S. Army Air Force in New Guinea, the Philippines, Okinawa and Japan. His unit was the first to arrive in Japan and established a weather station at the Yokota Air Base preparation for the arrival of the U.S. Army Occupation troops.

Judge Borowiec graduated from the University of Buffalo (UB) Law School in 1949 after completing undergraduate studies at UB and Hamilton College. He served as Regional Counsel for the United Steelworkers of America and maintained an extensive private practice specializing in workers’ compensation with the firm Tiernan and Borowiec. In 1968, the family moved to Atlanta when Judge Borowiec began his service with the Social Security Administration and served as Regional Chief Administrative Law Judge.

Relying on his 50 years of experience, his book “Upholding the Rule of Law “chronicles how a policy by an unbridled government bureaucracy to deprive disabled citizens of their Social Security benefits was reversed by a small cadre of Administrative Law Judges. Their efforts were successful in protecting the legal rights of everyday citizens against the raw power of an arbitrary government.

Judge Borowiec was Past President of the Advocates Club of Buffalo, New York; Past President of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges, Inc., and former Vice-Chairperson of the Social Security Judicial Council. He testified before the U.S. Congress as an expert witness to streamline judicial processes. His peers fondly described him as a "Judge's Judge".

In private life, Frank was an avid fan of his beloved Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Braves sports teams. He cherished time with extended family at the summer cottage in Port Colborne, Ontario where he and his brother Mike learned to pilot a Boston Whaler and taught all the kids how to water-ski and fish. The boat came with the family to Atlanta where Frank began exploring fishing holes in Lake Lanier.

Above all, he was a family man, so proud of all his children, grandchildren, great-granddaughter and nieces and nephews.

Frank was preceded in death by his beloved wife Mary Theresa. He is survived by his four children Deborah (Leo) Vinakos, Frank (Shirley Young) Borowiec, Claudia (Barry) Spaulding, Jim (Dianne Applegate) Borowiec; his six grandchildren Mike (Liz Scott) Vinakos, Steve Spaulding, Andy Vinakos, Liz Spaulding, Zack Borowiec and Chelsea Young; one great granddaughter Isidora Vinakos; his sister Delphine Pawlicki; his beloved cousins, nieces and nephews, and his loving caregivers Sarah Cooper and her daughter Stella.

Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, April 19th at 11:00 am at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Brookhaven, GA. Visitation will be held in the church 30 minutes prior. Committal will be held on Wednesday, April 20th at 11:00am sharp (military time) with Interment later at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St Vincent De Paul Society Atlanta, or to the charity of choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hmpattersonOglethorpe.com for the Borowiec family.