Harvey Borkholder
04/30/1934 - 06/21/2023
Harvey Borkholder, 89, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully at his home in Louisville, KY on June 21, 2023. He was born April 30, 1934, in Nappanee, Indiana. He was married in 1955 and lived in northern Michigan until 1968, when he and his family moved to Sarasota, Florida. He lived there for 52 years before moving to Louisville, Kentucky in 2020. He will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Harvey was small but mighty, liked to tease and joke around, and sang constantly. He always had a song for every situation or comment, even if he had to invent it. After nearly 68 years of marriage to Katie, they were still very much in love. He loved to get on the floor and play with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved to read, especially the Bible, which he read from beginning to end 161 times from 2001 to May 2023. He also enjoyed watching travelogues as well as traveling and enjoyed talking to people. He was always active serving in various capacities at every church he attended.
He was always hardworking and gave 110% at the various jobs he held throughout his life. He worked at a wildlife refuge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, drove a semi, was a logger, and worked at a feed store. In Florida he worked at a trailer factory, then worked for 21 years and was assistant manager at Scotty’s Home Improvement Store. After his retirement, he bussed tables at Der Dutchman Restaurant for 15 years.
He is survived by his wife, Katie (Stoltzfus) Borkholder of Louisville, Kentucky; daughters, Melodie Vitale and her husband Gary of Louisville, Kentucky; and Marty Miller and her husband LaVon of Middlebury, Indiana; grandchildren, David Vitale and his wife Liz; Emily Dixon and her husband Ben; Ashley Miller; Rebecca Vitale and her husband Stephen Feagin; Mark Vitale and his wife Tara; Katie Klopfenstein and her husband Zac; and Todd Miller and his wife Sophia; great-grandchildren, Jaxon and Aiden Klopfenstein; Sam and Hayden Vitale; Fiona Feagin; Maxton and Carson Miller; and Serge and Hazel Vitale. He is also survived by 3 brothers and 5 sisters.
Harvey was predeceased by his daughters, Naomi Borkholder and Jewel Borkholder, great-granddaughter Caroline Vitale, his parents and four siblings.
Visitation and funeral services will be held at Palm Grove Mennonite Church, 1087 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota, Florida 34232. Visitation will be Friday night, June 30, from 6-8 pm as well as Saturday morning 9-10 am. The funeral service will begin at 10 am July 1, 2023, with burial to follow at Palms Memorial Park on Honore Avenue and Fruitville Road. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to The Gospel Echoes Prison Ministry, PO Box 555, Goshen, IN 46527 or gospelechoes.com/donate.
Harvey was small but mighty, liked to tease and joke around, and sang constantly. He always had a song for every situation or comment, even if he had to invent it. After nearly 68 years of marriage to Katie, they were still very much in love. He loved to get on the floor and play with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved to read, especially the Bible, which he read from beginning to end 161 times from 2001 to May 2023. He also enjoyed watching travelogues as well as traveling and enjoyed talking to people. He was always active serving in various capacities at every church he attended.
He was always hardworking and gave 110% at the various jobs he held throughout his life. He worked at a wildlife refuge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, drove a semi, was a logger, and worked at a feed store. In Florida he worked at a trailer factory, then worked for 21 years and was assistant manager at Scotty’s Home Improvement Store. After his retirement, he bussed tables at Der Dutchman Restaurant for 15 years.
He is survived by his wife, Katie (Stoltzfus) Borkholder of Louisville, Kentucky; daughters, Melodie Vitale and her husband Gary of Louisville, Kentucky; and Marty Miller and her husband LaVon of Middlebury, Indiana; grandchildren, David Vitale and his wife Liz; Emily Dixon and her husband Ben; Ashley Miller; Rebecca Vitale and her husband Stephen Feagin; Mark Vitale and his wife Tara; Katie Klopfenstein and her husband Zac; and Todd Miller and his wife Sophia; great-grandchildren, Jaxon and Aiden Klopfenstein; Sam and Hayden Vitale; Fiona Feagin; Maxton and Carson Miller; and Serge and Hazel Vitale. He is also survived by 3 brothers and 5 sisters.
Harvey was predeceased by his daughters, Naomi Borkholder and Jewel Borkholder, great-granddaughter Caroline Vitale, his parents and four siblings.
Visitation and funeral services will be held at Palm Grove Mennonite Church, 1087 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota, Florida 34232. Visitation will be Friday night, June 30, from 6-8 pm as well as Saturday morning 9-10 am. The funeral service will begin at 10 am July 1, 2023, with burial to follow at Palms Memorial Park on Honore Avenue and Fruitville Road. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to The Gospel Echoes Prison Ministry, PO Box 555, Goshen, IN 46527 or gospelechoes.com/donate.