Duane Ralph Borst

Dewey was born in Drummond, WI on October 20, 1921 to Ralph and Ella Borst.

His brother, Robert Lloyd Borst, preceded him in death in 1991.

He is survived by his wife, Elda “Ellie” Wirch Borst; his three children: William Borst (Friede), Nancy Borst and Judy Borst Lenneman (Pete); four grandchildren: Laura Borst Pappas (Tim), Kelly Borst Ringler (James), Alex Lenneman, Clay Lenneman (Kelsea); and three great grandchildren: Miles Pappas, Max Pappas and Oscar Ringler.

In 1931, Duane, at the time in fifth grade, moved from Drummond to Ashland, WI; and by 1939, he graduated as the salutatorian of Ashland High School. Apart from achieving scholastic excellence, Duane also participated in numerous extracurricular activities, including basketball, football and band. He continued these pursuits during his time at Northland College (1939 – 1941), but added flight to his resume of accomplishment when he undertook the CPT program and received his private pilot license. It was during these years that he also earned the “sophomore award for all around best student.” Afterwards, Duane went on to attend the University of Wisconsin from 1941 to 1943, but answered his country’s call during World War Two, when the Army Air Corps called him up along with forty ‘Flying Badgers’ in 1943.

Duane graduated from pilot training in Lubbock, TX in January of 1944 and trained to pilot B26 medium bombers at Del Rio, TX and St. Charles, LA. Having completed his training, he flew the northern route to England with a crew of six that same year, assigned to the 322nd bomb group, 450th squadron based at Great Saline, England. During the closing years of the war, he flew forty-three combat missions and earned several distinctions, including: seven clusters, four battle-stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. He returned to the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day in 1945.

Upon his return, Duane resumed his education at the University of Wisconsin in 1946. He graduated with a BA in 1947.

During that time, he met the love of his life, Elda Wirch. They married in 1946 and remained together for seventy-three years. During those years he was a loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather.

Mr. Borst completed his formal education when he received an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1964.

As with the rest of his life, Duane achieved numerous accomplishments in the field of business. Ernst and Ernest (Big 8 Accounting Firm) hired him in 1947 and he earned his CPA in 1950. In 1952, the Inland Steel Products Co. hired Mr. Borst to work as budget director, promoting him to Assistant Treasurer in 1954. Three years later (1957), he transferred to Ryerson Steel Co. where he became the Assistant Controller by 1959. In 1961, he become the Treasurer of Inland Steel Container and in 1962 he graduated to the rank of Controller at Ryerson. He continued his rise when he became the Vice President of Finance in 1963. In 1968, Inland Steel made Duane their Comptroller. And finally, in 1983, he retired.

But retirement did not bring idleness for Duane; and in the same year he joined the consulting firm Planmetrics Inc., where he helped with long-range planning using computerized financial models. He also became the Federal Chairmen of Seminars the company sponsored on Accounting and SEC issues. This position used speakers from Congress, including Congressman Dingle of Michigan and Newt Gingrich of Georgia.

Duane Borst’s multitudinous professional activities are counted alongside his business and military accomplishments. He served as the Vice President of Research for Planning Executives Institute; received an award for ‘Contribution to Art of Planning’ for Chicago; was part of a chapter of FEI (Financial Executives Institute); acted as the Chairman of Steel Industry Committee and Accounting; was a member of the FEI’s committee on Corporate Reporting and of Conceptual Framework Project (prior to formation of the FASB: Financial Accounting Standards Board).

Apart from that, Duane guest lectured at fourteen colleges and numerous professional chapters and trade associations.

Indefatigable, Duane also found time to give back to the communities he lived and worked in. He served as a board member for the Evangelical Hospital Association in Chicago for eight years as a member of the Finance Committee. There, he helped build three new hospitals and acquire three inner-city hospitals. He also served on the Downers Grove High School Board of Directors. In religious service, Mr. Borst was the Head Usher and served on the Board of Deacons at the First Congregational Church of Downers Grove, IL and the head of the Audit Committee of his church in Stuart, FL. He served on two HOA’s and two CA’s Board of Directors as the Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair for each.

In his downtime, Duane enjoyed golfing and swimming.

He will be sincerely missed by his family and everyone whose lives he touched.

A private family service will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home accessible online via the Brown-Wynne website on February 20, 2021. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.