Clinton A. Borden, 91, of Westport, passed away on March 7, 2010 at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Florence (Sparks) Borden. In September 2009, the couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
Born in Westport, the son of William Borden and Mabel (Reed) Borden, he grew up in Fall River, graduating from B.M.C. Durfee High School in 1936. He was also a graduate of the former Bradford Durfee Textile Institute, where he was a star soccer player, and completed post-graduate courses at both Fitchburg and Bridgewater State Colleges.
After an early career as a tool-and-die maker, he joined the Durfee High faculty in 1953 as a mechanical drawing teacher. He also served as a track and cross-country coach. While at Durfee, he was an active member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association as well as the NEA. Mr. Borden retired from teaching in 1981.
An avid gardener his entire life, Mr. Borden spent his retirement years maintaining his beautiful garden and entertaining his children and grandchildren with fabled stories about growing up in Fall River in the 1920s as a member of the locally famous “Wharf Rats” Club, a group of good friends whose clubhouse sat on the shores of Watuppa Pond. In recent years, he was known to brag that he was the last surviving member of that club.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Borden leaves three daughters; Patricia Silva and her husband Dale of Falmouth, Barbara L’Heureux and her husband Donald of Somerset, and Susan Holding and her husband Malcolm of Swansea. He is also survived by his sister Barbara Poole of Somerset, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on Tuesday, March 16 at the Potter Funeral Home. There will be a visitation at 10am followed by a memorial service at 11am.
Interment is at Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall River.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Special Olympics of Massachusetts, ATTN: Donations, Yawkey Sports Training Center, 512 Forest Street, Marlborough MA 01752.