Donald Earle Bork

On Thursday, July 28, Donald Earle Bork, 87, passed away peacefully at Scott & White Hospital in College Station, after his loving family had a chance to say goodbye. He was the sixth of seven children born to Walter and Velma Bork, on February 27, 1935 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The family spent early years in Beaver Falls before relocating in nearby New Brighton.

Known for his sense of humor and warm smile, Donald was a quiet, compassionate and grounding presence for his family, coworkers, friends, and community. While he enjoyed a long and productive career in the steel manufacturing industry and held elected office, Donald believed his proudest achievement in life was his family.

Donald grew up loving sports and played basketball and softball, participating in church leagues as a young man. The Bork family was raised in the Methodist faith and belonged to First United Methodist Church of New Brighton. He graduated from New Brighton High School in 1952. Even though they did not meet during this time, his future bride also attended school there. Thanks to a dear friend, Donald was introduced to a beautiful young lady, Jeanne Dishler, New Brighton High School graduate of the Class of 1954. After a happy courtship, they married on June 16, 1956.

Following high school, Donald’s career began at Babcock & Wilcox, in their tubular products division. He was a proud to be part of making American steel for 45 years first working in the Chemistry Lab and then in Quality Assurance/Quality Control doing Nondestructive Testing at the Beaver Falls, Koppel and Ambridge plants. He spent half his life in Pennsylvania, before relocating in 1979 to Texas for the second half of his life where he was instrumental in opening the successful Babcock & Wilcox plant in Bryan, where steel pipe was finished into oil well tubing.

Spare time was filled with family time, the simplicity of being together, and many summer vacations. Donald had a passion for politics and served as Councilman for the 2^nd Ward of the Borough of New Brighton as well as Borough Council President. As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Donald always had time for Pittsburgh Steelers football, reading and watching science fiction, particularly the show “Star Trek’.

When they lived in Pennsylvania, Donald and Jeanne would often take Renee and Michael to the Wheeling, West Virginia Jamboree and followed the careers of many Country Western musicians. Donald had enjoyed the music of Willie Nelson, from the earliest days of his career which he called “from the time Willie was clean-cut” through the present day. The transfer to Texas for work was a seamless progression as the family became Naturalized Texans. Donald and Jeanne embraced Bryan-College Station enthusiastically in the era of “Urban Cowboy,” so weekends meant a chance to dance at the original Texas Hall of Fame. They faithfully followed all Aggie Sports and are proud of their status as ticket holders for Texas A&M Football for 41 seasons, always hoping for a national championship!

Despite previously saying he would never chase that little white ball around, Donald enjoyed golf nearly every day in retirement for twenty years and made many good friends on the courses. He marshalled at the Texas A&M Golf Course and shot a hole in one at the Bryan Municipal Course.

His later years included a new role as Pap to granddaughter Megan. Most recently, the family welcomed to this world, great granddaughter, Charlotte Rose Bond.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents, and all of his siblings, Virginia Woodske, Madelyne Futato, Betty Goehring, Walter Bork, Edith Ann Pavlinich, and Richard Bork, and his beloved white miniature poodle, Missy. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jeanne Bork; daughter Renee Bork; son Michael Bork and wife Michele; his granddaughter Megan Bond and her husband Spencer; and his great-granddaughter Charlotte Rose Bond, all of Bryan, Texas. He is also survived by an aunt, Dolores McDanel, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, their families, and many good friends.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at the Scott & White Clinics and Hospital and the Visiting Angels staff for the love and care they showed.

Contributions in memory of Donald may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org.