Dave Borland, Lewistown

Lewistown area residents always knew when Dave Borland was nearby. He proudly drove the car decorated with the American flag and yellow ribbon magnets. Dave passed away at 100 in late 2024, but his commitment to this country and to the Juniata Valley community were long and deep. He was a World War II combat veteran, serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps for 39 months, and the first half of his career was dedicated to defense manufacturing.

After retiring from Standard Steel, Dave’s calendar remained full for another 25 years of community service. He served on the boards of the Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging (as president for five years) and the Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation, Juniata Valley Blind Association, Downtown Lewistown Corp, and St. John’s Lutheran Church. His ‘finest hour’ was receiving the 2008 Roundtable of Christians and Jews’ Brotherhood Award for service to Mifflin County. He didn’t slow down until he passed 90.

Dave was president of Standard Steel during the painful 1980s downturn that hit the region very hard. Times were hard and many feelings were hard. Retirement could have been a chance to move on, to go someplace warmer. But he stayed. He said there wasn’t any place where the people were warmer than here. Dave loved the Juniata Valley and the remainder of his life was dedicated to the Valley and its people.

–Submitted by Dave Borland Jr.