Borden, Tom

Tom Borden, 85, of Portales died Friday, April 28, 2006, at his home.

Born June 6, 1920, in Floyd, he was the son of Nellie and Bill Borden. He grew up in Floyd and married Lyda Mae Conaway of Oklahoma on Dec. 31, 1937. For a while he worked in Portales and later in Clovis. By the mid-1940s, they settled in Floyd where he farmed until retiring in 1992, when they moved to Portales. He was a member of the Floyd Lions Club and Floyd Baptist Church, which he helped to construct. He enjoyed traveling and taking trips with the Conestoga Good Sams Club, family members said, and routinely drank coffee with his friends from Wells Fargo Bank in the morning and at McDonald’s with his wife and their friends in the afternoons. According to his family, he was a great story teller, loved a good joke and was an excellent “42” player. He was a devoted husband and father, and had special and unique relationships with each one of his grandchildren, family members said.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, R. L., Harley and Clifford Borden; two sisters, Nora Francis “Babe” Lee and Billie Nell Williams, and by his son-in-law, Bobby Nolen.

He is survived by his wife of more than 68 years; two sons and daughters-in-law, Harold Don Borden (and wife, Sue) of Tucumcari and Kenneth Borden (Jane) of Indianapolis; one daughter, Rosemary Nolen of Amarillo; eight grandchildren, Kathy Wingate, Scott Nolen, Lendy Borden, Brenda Spinks, Billy Borden, Matthew Borden, Daniel Borden and Adam Borden; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Lendy and Billy Borden will officiate services. Burial will be at Portales Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Lendy, Billy and Daniel Borden, Scott Nolen, James Spinks and Gary Wingate. Honorary pallbearers will be all of his coffee-drinking friends and the Conestoga Good Sams Club.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.