Wallace Homor - Age 98 - Santa Fe Borkenhagen

WALLACE HOMER BORKENHAGEN, 98, passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 peacefully at home in Santa Fe from natural causes. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Ward Borkenhagen; brothers, Leonard and Curt Borkenhagen and sister, Evelyn Borkenhagen. Wally was born near Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Everett Borkenhagen and Clara Erickson. After graduating from High School he worked for 18 months in the Civilian Conservation Corps. He graduated from the Madison University of Wisconsin in mechanical engineering in 1943. He married Helen Ward then joined Lockheed Aircraft where he helped design a naval patrol bomber. In 1947 Wally moved his family to Los Alamos where he helped design a section of the future hydrogen bomb. He worked for two decades in Los Alamos for a peaceful project aimed at generating electricity through controlled fusion. He retired in 1977 and continued to ski until the age of 90; he also loved to hike and photograph. Mr. Borkenhagen is survived by his sister, Bette Enerson, children; Lois Rivera and Jim and Gale Borkenhagen; 4 grandchildren, Scott and Marc VanBuskirk, Luis and Mari Rodriguez. A memorial and reception will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Santa Fe. In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted for the UUC of Santa Fe Religious Education Program. The family of Wallace Homer Borkenhagen has entrusted their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley.

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