Prayers for the soul of Mary Borkhuis

Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Mary Borkhuis, who died at 10:45 this morning (January 16, 2010).

Please pray for her family at this time, as well.

Her Requiem Mass will be held Friday January 22, 2010 at 11:00 AM at Gethsemane Cathedral, Fargo.

Burial of ashes will be in Miller, South Dakota during Memorial Day weekend, 2010.

Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord;
And let light perpetual shine upon her.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Her obituary follows:


Mary Borkhuis


(December 23, 1939-Jan. 16, 2010)

Mary Borkhus died January 16, 2010 at home of her sister in Edgerton Wisconsin. Mary was diagnosed with Stage IV Melanoma in October 2009 and was in the loving care of her sister, Sue Wilson at the time of her death. Born December 23, 1939 in Lake City Iowa to Lewis and Nova Borkhuis. Mary's early childhood was on the family farm near Vayland, SD. She attended rural school and frequently rode her horse " Happy " to and from school. She is a member of the 1957 senior class of Miller SD. She graduated Huron College with a degree in Religion and Philosophy. She obtained her Masters and a Doctoral degrees from the University of South Dakota. Mary was a college professor and taught Psychology at Maryville College in Maryville Tennessee, St Thomas College in Saint Paul Minnesota and Jamestown College in Jamestown ND. Later in her career Mary lived in Fargo, ND . She went back to school to get a Masters degrees in Marriage and Family at NDSU and worked as a psychologist for Lakeland Mental Health and Griffin Family Systems that served foster families with teenage girls. After her retirement in 2005 Mary enjoyed the fours seasons. Winter was spent at her brother's home in Palm Springs California. Spring and summer was spend enjoying the lush prairies of the Dakotas. Fall was spent visiting friends and family. Thanksgiving was always spent at her brother's home in Atlanta, Georgia. Mary loved trips to relatives where she would often arrive at someone's home with no notice but was always welcomed in. Special trips were to India, a summer spent on a schooner in the Caribbean and western desert. Mary's travels took her in search of antiques, collectibles, fossils , and artifacts for which she had a sharp eye to see what others could not. Mary's had many hobbies but most enjoyed photography. She captured countless photos of flowers, birds, mountains and oceans. Her photos chronicled her family with images that captured a lifetime of memories. A very special part of her life was serving the Episcopal church. She was active in both local and state boards and spent many happy hours with her friends at the church;.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Nova Borkhuis and her twin brother Jerry who died at birth. . Remaining to cherish the memory of her life is her sister Sue(Eric) from Edgerton Wisconsin and brothers Dale(Elizabeth) of Atlanta Georgia and John of Los Angeles, Ca. She has four special nephews, Christopher and Michael Wilson and Garrett and Robert Borkhuis.

A Requiem Eucharist will be held in Fargo North Dakota at the Gethsemane Episcopal Cathedral at 1100 AM on Friday the 22nd of January. Burial of ashes will be in Miller, South Dakota during Memorial Day weekend, 2010.

Memorials may be sent to the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota