Our father, Roger Waldo Borgelt, was born in Concordia, Missouri on May 11, 1936 to John Waldo Borgelt and Anna Louisa Carolina (Heins) Borgelt. He passed away peacefully on February 13, 2021 at age 84, from complications of leukemia.
Our mother, Cindy — Cynthia Anne (Bishop) Borgelt, was born in Washington, DC on September 7, 1940, to Frederick Sedgwick Bishop and Dorothea Anne (Welland) Bishop. She passed away peacefully but unexpectedly on November 22, 2021 at age 81, from complications of Parkinson’s.
Cindy’s father’s early position with the Pennsylvania Railroad took them as young marrieds to Washington, DC. Shortly thereafter, Cindy’s family took them back to Kansas City, Missouri for her father to work in a family business while her delightful mother, Dorothea (“Dorothea, not Dorothy”), greeted many happy customers at the city’s downtown department store, Emery Bird. Cindy’s only sibling, her brother Timothy, was a star athlete, her father was often his coach, so much of her time growing up was spent accompanying her parents to the many games, whether it was of her choosing or preferred schedule. Favorite memories which she talked about through the years were singing in the Methodist Church choir and weekly choir practices enjoyed with her dad.
Roger and Cindy were educated in the public schools in Kansas City, Missouri, and although they did not know each other at the time, both graduated from East High School. Upon graduation, Cynthia took a position as Secretary to Mr. George Marvin, president of the Vernon Law Book Company. There, she met her future husband, Roger W. Borgelt, who was also working for Mr. Marvin, originally as a bookkeeper. With the encouragement of Mr. Marvin, Roger began his career with this company at age 19 while attending the University of Kansas City, now University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he earned a degree in Business. Roger and Cindy married in 1960, as Roger assumed a sales position covering the states of Kansas and Missouri. Soon the company, which became West Publishing, offered the opportunity to represent them throughout most of Texas.
In 1963, they set their sights set on a great unknown future, leaving family behind in Missouri and Kansas and arrived in Austin with their infant son, Roger Blane, when Austin’s population was less than 200,000, much smaller then, than Kansas City. Roger excelled in his position in Texas, serving a large swath of the state running from Del Rio to Louisiana while meeting the Austin legal community’s needs for public and private law libraries and law books, as provided by West Publishing. Through the years he was a great presence in the company as a top sales representative annually and retired after 40 years when West was purchased by Thomson Reuters in 1996. During this time, they grew their family here in Austin, with daughters Krista and Audra soon added to the family. In addition to raising three children in the Northwest Hills community, the family attended Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, where Cindy sang in the choir, as she had done with her father growing up in Kansas City. She also enjoyed beautifying the flower beds as a church volunteer, and her long-time participation with friends and neighbors in the Sierra Verde Garden Club.
Their youngest daughter, Audra, was born in 1971 and very beloved. After retiring, Cindy’s parents, the Bishops, moved to Austin to be closer to Audra and the family, and to bestow unending love on them as doting grandparents, always along for many family vacations in the U.S. and adventures during those years.
Once retired, Roger, Cindy and Audra traveled the world together, visiting London, Ireland, Wales, Kenya and Tanzania, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and Ecuador. They also enjoyed their time at the Texas coast. During most hot Texas summers, they enjoyed a beautiful mountain home in Durango and year-round, Roger could be found at their ranch property near Fredericksburg.
Although diagnosed with Parkinson’s some ten years ago, Cindy maintained her wry sense of humor to the end. Similarly, though diagnosed with leukemia in late 2019, Roger did not allow the diagnosis or treatment to slow him down any more than necessary, maintaining his independence right up to the final hospital visit. His relentless positive spirit and ever-present humor will be missed by his family.
They leave behind three children, Roger Blane Borgelt and wife Mary Ellen, Krista Borgelt-Gonzales and husband Ron, and Audra Nicole Borgelt, all of Austin, and four wonderful grandchildren, Ronald, Samantha, Alexis and Brianna Gonzales. Roger was predeceased by his brother Clark Borgelt and his sister Frances Sloop. He is also survived by his sisters Evelyn Borgelt and LaVerne Riedi, both of the Kansas City area. Cindy is also survived by her brother Tim Bishop of Wichita, Kansas. They are also survived by many nieces and nephews spread across the country, with whom they kept up and in touch most of their lives.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
The Family greatly appreciates your presence at our Memorial Service this morning for both Parents.
We invite you to a reception following the service at their residence, 4600 Cat Mountain Drive, Austin, Texas 78731.
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