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James Alfred Borland, long time resident of Albuquerque, died Saturday morning, June 26, 2010, at Casa de Rosa assisted-living facility in northwest Albuquerque, where he had been living for several months. Jim would have been 88 on August 11. He was the only child of Glen and Hazel (nee Howell) Borland, both deceased. Jim resided in the family home until his eighties. Jim attended Washington Junior High in Albuquerque (a natural choice, since his father was principal at Lincoln Junior High) and subsequently attended Albuquerque High School. He earned a B.A. from UNM, was commissioned as an ensign in the naval reserve, served as a commander in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theatre during World War II and later graduated from Stanford University Law School. Jim had a distinguished career as an attorney in Albuquerque. In 1959 President Eisenhower appointed Jim as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. At the end of his term as U.S. Attorney, he joined the Modrall Firm in Albuquerque and thereafter, he served as attorney to the Army Corps of Engineers for many years. Jim is survived by numerous cousins including Morgan and Frederick Howell, now living in California and Washington State; the Fornoffs of New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Arkansas; David Borland and Virginia Fields of Indiana; Carole Schafer of Arizona and Sara Watt of Nevada. Jim will be remembered by family and friends as cheerful, dignified, intelligent man of gentle disposition who knew himself and was curious about the lives and ideas of others. He was a genuinely happy person, at home in New Mexico with its endless enchantments. He never tired of watching the light change on the Sandia Mountains. When younger, he enjoyed tramping along the Rio Grande River hunting for doves, oblivious to the mosquitoes swarming around him. He was an avid reader, and in recent years when cataracts affected his vision he got into the habit of listening every morning to audio books presented on a radio program. Jim enjoyed golf in moderation. Moderation was a key to his character, as were curiosity and frugality. Into his eighties, he continued to ride his bike to the senior center for an inexpensive lunch and he got free van rides to the pool at UNM where seniors swam for free. He drove his 60's vintage car only when necessary. He always looked relaxed and elegant in the jackets and sweaters he bought from Goodwill. Jim Borland was the soul of tolerance and open-mindedness, never gossiping or criticizing others. Life and people delighted him. In this he was like his mother, whose most frequent response to the oddities of human nature was a merry "Well, I never!" It goes without saying that Jim never smoked. He lived a life without excess, addiction, or illness. If he had an addiction, it was to healthy living. He ground his own grain and ate very little, enough to live. If he followed scripture, Adelle Davis wrote it. He was six feet tall and so thin and translucent he looked angelic. He was a strong walker till the very end. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 28, 2010, 10:00 a.m., at French - University Chapel. Jim will be buried in the plot beside his mother and father at Fairview Memorial Park. Please visit our online guestbook for Jim at: www.RememberTheirStory.com. French 1111 University Blvd. NE. (505) 843-6333
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