Ira Jeffrey Bornstein

Ira Bornstein, 68, of Arvada, Colorado, passed away on July 21st after an inspiring three-year battle with glioblastoma. A man who believed in having no regrets, Ira lived the right way and inspired all of those around him throughout his life, and that became even more obvious after his diagnosis with his “keep moving, no regrets” mindset.

He was born on August 19th, 1954, to the late Bernard Bornstein and Shirley Bornstein, in Chicago, Illinois. Ira was as smart as he was stubborn, and he played by his own rules of making the most of his life. He graduated high school early so he could attend college at the University of Colorado. He then graduated college early, too, earning a degree in history, magna cum laude with distinction in 1974. Next up was law school, where Ira was a member of the Loyola Law Journal and earned his juris doctorate from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law in 1978, which began a prestigious 45-year career in law.

Just four years later, Ira would become a partner at his first law firm. Listing all of his accomplishments was never something Ira enjoyed; he preferred being great at his job and letting his work speak for itself. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t wildly successful. Ira was licensed in Colorado, New York, and Illinois, was rated AV by Martindale Hubbell for many decades, and successfully argued before the Supreme Court of the United States one of the seminal Commerce Clause cases of the past quarter century. If that wasn’t enough, he also successfully argued an important case on organized crime in front of the U.S. District Court, and was respected by his colleagues, clients, and partners.

Before law school, Ira found his “beshert” at age 20 in Boulder, Colorado. What started as a simple request for Ira to type a college paper turned into a 48-year marriage. In 1975, Ira married the former Sandra (Sandy) Kugler in Chicago, Illinois. They went on to have four children together and lived together for 25 years in Illinois. They then moved to Colorado after Ira fulfilled his promise to return to Colorado, where they lived for another 23 years until his passing. As the second half of The Traveling Bornsteins team, Ira explored the world with Sandy. Published stories of their active adventures inspire others to embrace life rather than a terminal illness. Nothing made Ira more proud than loving his wife and children. He dedicated his entire life to all of them.

Ira is survived by his wife Sandy, and their four boys — Joshua Bornstein and his wife, Rachael Israel, and their children Avram and Amari, Adam Bornstein and his wife, Rachel Spatt Bornstein and their children Bode and Asher, Aaron Bornstein and his wife, Candice Bornstein and their children Max and Isabella, and Jordan Bornstein and his wife Kayla Garthwaite and their newborn child, Oliver. He is also survived by his mother, Shirley Bornstein, and his four brothers, Bruce Bornstein and his wife Maureen Bornstein, Ian Bornstein, Scott Bornstein and his wife Ruth Bornstein, and Mitchell Bornstein.

Ira will be missed by those who knew him. He had a powerful presence, and he will be remembered for his desire to live on his terms, his selfless dedication to his family, and an unbreakable mindset that helped him overcome hurdles and repeatedly accomplish what so many others thought wasn’t possible.

Funeral services will be held at Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, July 25 with graveside services following at 11 AM at Mountain View Memorial Park in Boulder. Shiva will be on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5-7 PM at the Bornstein’s Arvada home.

For those who cannot attend the service at Bonai Shalom, it can be watched via livestream at https://venue.streamspot.com/4f58b8e0.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), Baskin Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program, or Collier Hospice Hospital. A dedicated page for his team, “Keep Moving No Regrets,” is located on the NBTS Colorado Walk website.

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