Obituary of Sara "Sally" M. Borland

Sara M. “Sally” Borland Age 89 • St. Petersburg, FL (nee Croghan) On July 31, 2016; formerly of Berlin, NJ. Wife of the late David F. Borland. Beloved mother of David, of Fort Walton Beach, FL; John (Donna), of Houston, TX; Barbara Collins (Lennard) of St. Petersburg, FL; Katharine Magrann (Scott) of Haddonfield, NJ; and Gregory (Anne) of Hoover, AL. Cherished and proud grandmother of Lisa (Mark), Sara, Greer, Paul, Patrick, John David, Katie and Matthew. Great-grandmother to Clare Noelle. Loving sister of John Croghan (Pat), Maryann Canny and Bernard Croghan (Bobbie). Treasured aunt to many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Dave, Sally was predeceased by her wonderful parents, John M. and Catherine S. Croghan, her dear sisters Catherine C. Miles and Theresa C. Peltzer, her beloved daughter-in-law Elizabeth “Betty” Stagliano Borland, and her infant grandsons David Samuel Borland and John Joseph Borland. A Philadelphia native, Sally graduated from John W. Hallahan Catholic High School, Class of 1944. She married Dave in 1946 and, in 1956, they moved to Berlin. Sally was a devoted wife and mother, providing a nurturing environment for her family. She expected excellence from her children, and was so proud of their successes. Sally never let budgetary constraints get in the way of a family party, vacation, summers in Cape May Point, etc. She was something of a mentor/advisor to her younger siblings as they raised their own wonderful families. A voracious reader, Sally exercised her avocation for books by working for many years as a volunteer at the Marie Fleche Memorial Library. She helped to create the school library at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. In 1970, Sally was employed in the library at the Berlin Community School, retiring in 1995. Over the years at BCS, she enjoyed so many close relationships with the faculty, staff and students. She loved them all, many as if they were her own children. In 1998, Sally moved from Berlin to a high-rise apartment on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, where she fulfilled her long-held desire to live in the center of the city of her birth. It was quite an adventure. In 2001, she relocated to a beachfront condominium in St. Pete Beach, FL, where she enjoyed magnificent sunsets every day. Her adventurous spirit led her to travel throughout the United States, as well as to many foreign nations, including England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Australia. In recent years, even while dealing with her health challenges, Sally frequently exclaimed, “I have had a wonderful life!” She did. Sally’s family will receive friends at 9:30 am on Wednesday, August 10, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, St. Simon Stock Parish, 178 W. White Horse Pike, Berlin. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30. Interment, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Lindenwold, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions in honor of Sally be sent via check (“in memory of Sally Borland” on memo line) to the Marie Fleche Memorial Library, 49 S. White Horse Pike, Berlin, New Jersey 08009.