Shirley Borsos

Borsos, Shirley I. Kalamazoo Shirley Isobel (Bruce) Borsos passed away peacefully on November 11, 2020. Shirley was born on February 9, 1926 in Battle Creek, Michigan to Leon Bruce and Ruth Lawson. Due to the hardships of the Great Depression Shirley and her dear cousin George Lewis were raised by their grandmother Lottie Bruce. The poverty and difficulties she endured as a child and young woman helped to develop her innate qualities of strength, determination, and courage which she would demonstrate throughout her life. Shirley was blessed with the friendship and guidance of her high school Principal Ted Thomas and his wife Ruth who encouraged her to attend college. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in education. At WMU she met her future husband Bob. They were married on June 25, 1949 and celebrated 65 years of marriage. Bob and Shirley settled in Kalamazoo, and started their family of three sons, Robert, John, and David. Shirley was actively involved in community service, including work with the American Red Cross, serving as a deaconess and choir member in the First Congregational Church, and served in many capacities including President with Chapter CN of P.E.O., providing educational opportunities for young women. Shirley entered the workforce in the late 1960s and worked as an executive secretary for several departments of the Upjohn Company where she made many friends and polished her formidable ping-pong skills during the lunch hour! She was so efficient and hardworking that when she retired the company needed to hire two people to take over her responsibilities. Shirley and Bob loved gardening and entertaining family and friends at their home on Eagle Lake. Her son John's talent as an artist inspired Shirley to take up painting when she was in her 60s. Shirley won a jury award with the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts for her water color paintings and was recognized with a special exhibition at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre in 1994. As a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Shirley provided a wonderful and loving family environment for her husband, children, grandsons and great granddaughter. Surviving are her two sons, Robert B. (Sandra) Borsos of Kalamazoo and David C. Borsos of Oakland, CA; two grandsons, Mark (Mary) A. Borsos of Chicago, IL and Eric M. Borsos of Kalamazoo; great-granddaughter, Keira Shea Borsos, and cousin George's wife, Mary Lewis, and many loved nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her son, John R. Borsos and her husband Robert L. Borsos. Memorial contributions may be directed to Friendship Village Employee Appreciation Fund or the Western Michigan University - John R. Borsos Endowed Scholarship. Arrangements were entrusted to Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial & Cremation Services. A celebration of life will occur at a future date. Please visit Shirley's personalized webpage to sign the online guestbook or to leave a condolence to her family at https://www.langelands.com