Ulysses G. Border

Ulysses Grant Border of Visalia California passed away on April 19, 2024 after a brief illness. Ulysses went by his middle name, Grant, and was referred to as “Little Grant” by his siblings as he was growing up because he also shared that name with his father Grant P. Border. He was also named after his grandfather who preceded him in death in 1945. Ulysses was born in Baltimore, MD on May 15, 1929 to Grant and Winifred Border, also from Baltimore. He was the third child of four, with his brother Richard being the oldest, then his sister Suzanne, and then his youngest brother Donald. Grant and his family lived in many places throughout the United States, mostly in the south, such as Lakeland, Florida, Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee.

Then in 1948, the family finally settled in Bakersfield, CA, never to move again. Grant finished his last year of high school at Garces Memorial High, being in the first graduating class since the school opened, the 1948 senior class. After he finished at Garces, he went to Bakersfield College, then joined the U.S. Army to pay his way into U.C. Davis where he graduated with a B.S. degree in Soil Agronomy. While there, he met Elizabeth “Betty” Morlan, and they were married in Davis, CA after they both finished college in 1956. They immediately moved to Lakeport, CA where they welcomed their first child, Andrew in 1957, and a daughter Christine a year later in 1958.

In 1959, he moved his family to Visalia, CA, and went to work for a company called Biological Testing and Research Laboratory in Lindsay, CA. In 1964, he went into business for himself with a partner, and they started a company called R.D.S Laboratories in Exeter, CA which was there for over 50 years. In 1965, he helped found another company with a group of business men. It was Distributors Processing, Inc., which is still in operation today, now called DPI Global in Porterville, CA. He was a shareholder, and the last living founder of the company. Grant also was a citrus grower, along with running his ag consulting business. His son Andrew worked with him for 30 years in the family business, and Grant taught him a work ethic that he took with him when he started his own business. He was a great teacher, and helped all of his clients to be excellent crop producers.

Grant was a believer, and faithful to God every day of his life. He was a life long member of The Good Shepard Catholic Church of Visalia. Everything he did and said to anyone he met was done with kindness and a God-like spirit that never waned. Everyone that was lucky to know him will never forget his virtue and faith. He was also an avid golfer in his later years, a baseball scorekeeper junkie, never missing a Rawhide game for many, many seasons. He loved College football and basketball, and could be seen taking in many of the College of Sequoias sporting events.

Grant was a member of the Woodlake Rotary Club, giving over 50 years of service to the club and all of the fundraising causes they supported. He was very generous to his employees and friends whenever they were in need. He was also a member of The Knights of Columbus, and supported many Catholic charities.

Grant Border is survived by his brother Don Border of Bakersfield, CA and his sister Suzanne Cunningham, of Felton, CA. He also leaves behind two adult children, Andrew S. Border of Visalia, California and Christine D. Cobbs of Rancho Cordova, CA, as well as three adult grandchildren, Andrea, Jaime and Stephanie. Grant also was fortunate to have three great grandchildren, Maya, Jodie and Jameson. Family members will miss his great personality, of telling jokes when you least expected him to speak up, his incredible integrity and hard work ethic.

Grant always sat with his family pictures surrounding him with love, and he never forgot Betty who preceded him in death in 2013. Betty’s strong determination for life led the family to success while Grant’s hard work and passion for his career in agriculture never slowed down!

In the last several years of his 94 years on earth, his son Andy and caregiver Starr were always by his side as he thrived with love and care!

A visitation for Ulysses will be held Wednesday, May 15, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 West Goshen Ave, Visalia, CA 93291. A holy rosary will occur Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 3:00 PM. A funeral mass will occur Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10:30 AM at St Mary's Church, 608 North Church Street, Visalia, CA 93291. A graveside service will occur Friday, May 17, 2024 at 12:00 PM at Visalia Cemetery, 1300 West Goshen Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291.

Serving as pallbearers are Andrew Border, David Cobbs, Lee Wilson and Robert Niz.