Rose Borton

YOUNGSTOWN - Rose Merdich Borton, 95-and-a-half years young, passed away peacefully early Wednesday evening, May 3, 2017, at Hospice House, following a long and fulfilling life.

Rose was born Oct. 31, 1921, in Youngstown, a daughter of the late John and Anna Pavelko Merdich. After graduating from Chaney High School, she attended Youngstown College before World War II.

Rose met and married her husband, Paul Borton, in 1945, and shortly thereafter he was called to serve in the military near the end of World War II. Paul was stationed in Stuart, Fla., and Rose went with him, helping to manage the base commissary and making weekly trips for supplies to Vero Beach, Fla. After the war, the couple returned to Youngstown, where Rose lived for the remainder of her life.

During her lifetime, Mrs. Borton worked outside the home for McKenzie Muffler, McKelvey’s Department Store, the Joseph Horne Company, and for J.C. Penney.

Rose had many talents. She was an expert seamstress, an avid and excellent baker (she loved sweets), was a skilled gardener, played golf with friends from church, and was generally a very crafty and resourceful person. For relaxation, Rose read seven to eight novels a month, and took care of her dogs and cats.

Mrs. Borton was a member of St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church and volunteered for school and church activities, including the annual festival, bingo, and the pyrohy fundraising projects. She was a member of the Mother of God Society of St. Anne, enjoyed her card club get-togethers, and she created beautifully-crafted Pysanka (Ukrainian Easter eggs), of which she was very proud. 

Rose loved family picnics and Christmas parties, but most of all, she enjoyed her beloved family and her “life.”

A loving wife, mother, and homemaker, Rose happily raised her three children, whom she leaves behind to cherish her memory, Laura (Anthony) Capezio of Canfield, Paul (Deborah) Borton of Austintown, and David Mark (Linda) Borton of Mineral Ridge; grandchildren, Ryan (Lynn) Capezio, Erica Borton, Kyle Borton, Mallory (Levi) Valentine, and Jessica (Michael) Pearce; great-grandchildren, Isabella and Lillian Rose Valentine, Mike, Curtis, and Gary Pearce; a sister, Janet (Bob) Palotce of Youngstown; and a brother, Mike Merdich of Tacoma, Wash.

Mrs. Borton’s beloved husband, Paul, whom she married June 12, 1945, passed away on their 30th wedding anniversary in 1975. Five brothers, John, Peter, Joe, Charles “Bill,” and Walter Merdich, and two sisters, Pauline Haug and Stephanie Hyrcyk, also preceded Rose in death.

Family and friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m., today, Friday, May 5, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Road, Youngstown, where a prayer service will take place at 4:30 p.m.

Funeral services will begin at 8:15 a.m., Saturday, at the funeral home, and will continue at 9 a.m. at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church, on the northeast corner of Kirk and Raccoon Roads in Austintown.

Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, where Rose will be laid to rest next to her husband, Paul.