Obituary: Henry Carl Borchardt

The Rev. Dr. Henry C. Borchardt died on December 12, 2016 in Towson, MD at the age of 79. Hank was born on May 13, 1937 in Milwaukee Wisconsin to artists Marie and Gordon Borchardt. After graduating from Rufus King High School in 1955 he studied philosophy, completing a bachelor’s degree at Carroll College and a Masters degree at Wittenberg University. It was in the acapella choir at Carroll that Hank met and later married Janet Davis in 1960. They had their first daughter, Cindy, in 1961 while Hank was attending McCormick seminary. Following his ordination by the Presbytery of Milwaukee in 1962, Hank became the pastor of Midway Presbyterian Church in Sedalia Ohio where their second daughter, Sue, was born in 1963. He was the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church from 1965 -1970 in Racine Wisconsin where he served as a member of the board of the NAACP and the Racine Commission on Human Rights.

In 1970 the family of four moved to Baltimore Maryland where Hank was the Director of Mission Development at Synod of the Chesapeake. His career in church leadership continued in the Presbyteries of Baltimore (1974–1978) and Detroit (1980–1983). After completing his Doctorate of Ministry at McCormick Seminary in 1982, Hank became the executive Presbyter of Erie, PA until returning to preaching in 1994, when he and his second wife, Judith Lundell Borchardt (nee Clark), became co-pastors of Northminster Presbyterian Church. They served there until their retirement in 2002 shortly after Hank was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. After a successful bone marrow transplant, Hank eventually recovered enough to become active in his local church, First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, MI, where he sang in the choir and was a Parish Associate from 2011–2015. Throughout his life Hank was an avid sailor, a model train enthusiast, and an artist.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on January 7 in the Great Hall at Glen Meadows where he lived after moving from Michigan in 2015 after Judy’s death to be closer to his two daughters, Cynthia Jan Borchardt of Annapolis MD, and Sue Ellen Borchardt of Baltimore MD. In addition to Cindy and Sue, Hank is survived by his brother John Borchardt of Slinger Wi, Judy’s three children: Peter Brit Lundell of Weston FL, Victoria Lundell of Bloomville, NY, and Alicia Lundell of Oak Park Michigan, as well as Hank and Judy’s seven grandchildren. A second memorial service is being planned for May 13th, 2017 — on what would have been Hank’s 80th birthday — in Michigan. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham 1669 W. Maple ​Birmingham, MI 48009