It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Penelope Ann “Penn” Borden, née Torgenrud, age 76. She was born in Waukon, Iowa to Donald and Celia Torgenrud. She was a self-described “Air Force brat,” and traveled around the world until her family settled on a cherry orchard on Flathead Lake in Montana. She earned her BA and MA in History at the University of Montana in Missoula. Her professors encouraged her to move to Santa Barbara for further studies at UCSB, where she completed her PhD and met Morton Borden. They married in 1970 and she became an extraordinary and loving stepmother to four young girls who came, over these many years, to appreciate her fierce intellect, uncompromising standards, artistic talent and masterful gardening.
She is survived by her daughters Jess Millikan (Ross), Sally Borden-Arioli (Joseph), Lucy Cesar (Christopher), and Kate Erickson (Gregory), by her seven grandchildren (Daniel and Melissa Arioli, David, Scott and Mark Cesar, and Kayley and Rachel Erickson), and by three of her siblings (Leif Torgenrud (Laurie), Kevin Torgenrud (Marty), and Sherry Ferris (Robert)). Gifts in her memory may be made to Direct Relief, http://www.directrelief.org.
