Sue Bordner’s Passing – Obituary

[Editor’s Note: Sue Bordner was a branch member and past AAUW California president. This obituary was published in the Sacramento Bee.]

Sue Bordner

Susan Elizabeth Wellington Bordner, born December 23,1939 in San Francisco, CA, to James Frederick Wellington and Caroline Wardner Harrison Wellington of Berkeley, CA passed away on November 15^th, 2021 at 81 years of age.

Raised in Berkeley and Kensington, CA, Sue, as she was called, attended Kensington Elementary School, Portola Junior High School, was an active Girl Scout and Senior Girl Scout Mariner, and graduated in 1957 from The Anna Head School in Berkeley. She attended Pomona College for one year where she met her husband of 61 years Dalton William Bordner. She transferred to UC Berkeley where she became a member of Phi Mu Sorority and then to UCLA, after marriage, graduating with a BA in Political Science in 1961. She and husband Dalt moved to Fullerton, CA in 1963 where they raised three sons: Robert, Douglas and Bruce. All their sons achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the BSA.

Sue was a lifelong volunteer in the communities where she lived. She served on PTA boards of schools her sons attended and on the Fullerton PTA Council, and on boards of the North Orange County YWCA and the League of Women Voters. She served on the City of Fullerton Planning Commission 1977-81 and was recognized for her service on the Orange County Transportation Commission’s Special 20 Year Master Plan Citizen’s Committee in 1989.

She was a 50-year Honorary Life Member of the American Association of University Women, serving as the Fullerton Branch President in 1985-86, as Director of Public Policy for the California State AAUW 1990-92, as the State AAUW President 1994-96, and in other state level board positions. Women In Action Lobby Day (WIALD) was developed while she was Director of Public Policy. In 1994, the Bordners relocated to El Dorado Hills in Northern California and Sue joined both the Sacramento and Foothills of El Dorado County branches of AAUW.

Sue was introduced to Japanese flower arranging (ikebana) in 1986 while her husband was working in Singapore for Ameron PTE. When they returned to California in 1987, she began taking lessons in the Ikenobo School of Ikebana and in 1990 in the Sogetsu School under the direction of sensei Kimi Kika Shibata in Sacramento.  She attained the Fourth Grade teaching certificate. She served on the board of the Sacramento Chapter #26 of Ikebana International for many years, including time as bylaws chair, newsletter editor, and president. She displayed and demonstrated at Sogetsu and Ikebana International events, at the Bloom 1 & 2 shows in Davis, CA. She was a member of the Sacramento Floral Design Guild also.

In 2019 Sue and Dalt relocated to South Orange County to the active retirement community of Reata Glen in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA where she died. Cause of death was cancer.

Sue is survived by her husband Dalton William Bordner; sons Robert (Susan) of Seattle, WA, Douglas (Jennifer) of Simi Valley, CA, and Bruce (Christine) of Riverside, CA; Grandsons Nicholas, Austin, Travis and Ryan; Granddaughters Caroline, Samantha, Tara, and Addison; and Step-Grands Mitchell and Kate Duran. She is also survived by her brother, James “Jim” (Cheryl) of Davis, CA and several cousins.

Plans for a Celebration of Life will be announced at a future time. McAulay and Wallace Mortuary of Fullerton is handling arrangements for the family.

[If you’d like to donate to the American Fellowship in Sue’s name, send your check made out to AAUW, with American Fellowship in the memo line, to Treasurer Liz Jordan, who will make sure it gets to where it needs to go. Liz’s contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.]

Membership Update By Donna Holmes

Donna Holmes

Please welcome our newest member, Barbara Puett, living in Zip Code 95628.  Barbara was recruited by Janis Appel, thank you.  Barbara has a BA in political science and is interested in lots our branch and AAUW have to offer.  She would like to join the AAUW Funds, Public Policy, Scholarships and Speech Trek committees.  Interest groups peaking her interest are Art & Architecture (already attended her first meeting), Healthy Heart Lunch and Travel (once they start meeting again).

Marty and I are working on our branch stars and have made our first submissions to National.  Stay tuned for our much-deserved recognition!

Membership: Did You Know? By Donna Holmes and Marty McKnew

Prospective members who join at a branch meeting get a 50 percent discount on National dues!  When you bring a prospective member to an AAUW event, their first year of membership is $71, instead of $102.

Know any prospective members?  Invite them to our next event. This discount applies if they join within two weeks of the event. For example, if you invite a prospective member to participate at the Nov.18 Zoom meeting, they get the discount if they join by Dec. 2. Or if you bring them to the Holiday Party on Dec. 11, they have until Dec. 25 to join. To activate this discount, please contact your membership co-director Marty McKnew. Marty’s contact information can be found in the branch Membership Directory.

Breaking News: For the 2021-22 year, the Sacramento AAUW Branch has retained more than 90 percent of all members from the 2020-21 year, thus contributing to our first “Star” in the National 5 Star program. Well done!

WE NEED YOU! And WHY? By Liz Jordan

What?  AAUW in Sacramento began 101 years ago.  We achieved more than 1,200 members during the 1970s and the heyday of the second wave of the Women’s Movement.  We achieved some amazing things for Sacramento, one of which was helping to save many of the beautiful Victorian homes in downtown neighborhoods.  We have worked in this state and in this country for gender equity to much success.  So why should we continue to exist? 

Why?  There is so much work left to do.  Laws governing self-defense, sex-trafficking, equitable pay for equitable work, pregnancy protections, sexual harassment, rape and rape-culture, are just a few of the areas where we continue to work. The Equal Rights Amendment languishes in the U. S. Archives.

When?  This work happens because of you, our membership.  The Nominating Committee will be convening in a few months, and we will be calling members to step up to take on positions like President-Elect, Finance Director, Program Director, Funds Director.  These are must-have positions for the branch to exist; however, over the last few years, we have struggled to find members to take on these responsibilities.  This bears repeating:  In order for the Sacramento Branch of AAUW to continue to exist, we must have members willing to serve in these positions. 

How?  These jobs can seem intimidating and time-consuming.  Of course, they do take time; but we don’t do any of them alone.

• Many co-directors take on one position.
• The whole board works together to help govern the branch.
• We support each other in learning the necessary skills and achieving the necessary tasks.
• We have simplified each position, making each job easier to do.
• We are rewarded with a great sense of accomplishment, solid friendships and the appreciation of more than 180 members.

Who?  Historically, all kinds of members have taken on these jobs. Employed women, retired women, women with small children and grown children, dog and cat owners, horseback riders, chefs, accountants, seamstresses, analysts, homemakers, doctors, lawyers and candlestick-makers have all taken on these positions; they have survived the challenge and kept our branch working.  We need you.  Step forward now and volunteer, or say “yes!” when we call.

Just like Uncle Sam — AAUW needs YOU.

Membership News By Donna Holmes and Marty McKnew

By the time you receive this newsletter you should have received your new directory.  If you have not or want to purchase an additional copy for $5 please contact Donna Holmes at (916) 402-4714.

The following new members are listed in your new directory so feel free to reach out to them:

Please welcome new member Linda Howard, previously a member of the Roseville Branch.  Linda is a retired teacher and has also worked as a real estate broker.  She is interested in evening book groups and singles dining out.  Linda is located in Carmichael.

Our second new member is Stephenie Moczydlowski and she lives in Fair Oaks.  Stephenie is a retired nurse case manager and is interested in Public Policy as well as most of our interest groups!  She has been an active participant at two of the Great Decisions I.

We will be updating the Membership website as soon as possible.  Additionally, with Karen Burley’s help, the directory will also be posted in the members-only section of the website.

See you on Zoom for September’s Showcase or in PERSON at the Ice Cream Social in October and remember to bring prospective members who may join for the reduced rate of $69.50 for joining at an event.