Esther Gardner (Edlund) Bordne

Esther Gardner (Edlund) Bordne,   age 93
Born Nov. 5, 1926 in Somerville, MA  -  Deceased Oct. 16, 2020,  Scituate, MA
 
Esther had lived with dementia issues for a few years.  After battling covid-19, her condition deteriorated.
 
Esther is survived by:  her son,Mark Bordne, daughter, Cheryl Bordne and grandchildren, Christina Kissner and Christopher Bordne.
 
Esther is predeceased by: her husband Charles E, Bordne,  her mother Eleanor (Dickey), stepmother, Ruth (Martenson) , father Ivar H. Edlund, sister Ingrid Mellerstedt, brother William E. Edlund, and daughter Holly C. Roberts   
 
Her brother Bill was born on March 15,1930, but sadly their mother died shortly thereafter. Esther and Bill lived in loving  foster homes for 2 years, until their father remarried in 1932. They lived in Arlington and Somerville near the Tufts campus for several years.  The campus was a sort of playground for neighborhood children.  The family summered at a family cottage on 'Agawam' beach in Wareham, MA.  There, Esther developed lifelong relationships with her adopted family.   The family was there during the Hurricane of '38. As the cottage flooded, they escaped to higher ground.  They lived in Middleboro, MA for the remainder of the school year.
 
In 1939, the family moved to New York, where her father worked for Sweden House at the World's Fair. Esther developed an appreciation for all things Swedish. In 1941, the family moved to an old farmhouse in Middleboro, MA.  They had a horse (Dusty), goats and raised beagles.
 
On  Feb 19,1943, an extremely cold night, a house fire ruined their home and belongings. They stayed with neighbors and returned to a rebuilt house by the end of the year.  
Esther graduated from Middleboro HS in 1944. With no formal music training she composed the class song.  
 
During the summer of 1944 she volunteered at the Tuberculosis hospital in Lakeville. Her education continued at Jackson College, part of Tufts, in Medford, MA. Esther met and fell in love with Charles Bordne, one of the active Navy students on campus. Esther's second year course in Occupational Therapy. Included an internship at Wrentham State Hospital.

On June 23,1946 Esther and Charles were married at the Tufts Chapel.  Esther worked for the athletic dept. and Charles (Chuck) completed a masters degree and worked as asst. coach of the wrestling team. In 1948 they moved to Braintree, Ma for jobs at Thayer Academy. Chuck was called back into active service for the Korean War.  He was injured at sea, and returned  for rehab. at the Navy hospital in Virginia.  Esther joined him there, helping with recovery. She loved Virginia, especially Williamsburg. She was able to vacation there years later.

They moved to Waukegan,IL for Chuck to complete the Navy assignment as an instructor, until able to return to Braintree and Thayer Academy.
 
In 1956 Esther and Chuck moved to a permanent new home in Scituate, and raised 3 children.
 
Music was a lifelong passion.  There was always music in the house.  If she wasn't playing the guitar, piano, or singing, the stereo would be on. She offered guitar lessons to anyone interested.
 
There were many animals, including unusual pets. Daisy, a beagle, roamed freely on the Tufts campus, Braintree, then Scituate.  Daisy was mentioned frequently in the Tufts newspaper. Later Daisy was featured in the Patriot Ledger for saving a lost boy in the woods in Braintree. A couple more dogs would provide years of companionship. There were several cats, chickens, snakes, alligator, rabbit, and a very long lived tarantula.
 
She applied her creative energies to holiday decor, gardening, woodwork, crocheting and sewing.  She made many items of clothing for for herself  and daughters.  She applied these skills on the alter guild at St. Lukes Episcopal church. Some of her closest friendships were developed there.
 
Esther was enthusiastic about genealogy research.  It started with an interest in finding out more about her mother.  She teamed up with her cousin Sue Gardner to travel to town halls, cemeteries and churches, long before the internet.  She discovered that her ancestors had settled Scituate in the 1600's. Two ancestors had arrived on the Mayflower.
 
Visits and social gatherings with relatives and friends were among her most treasured memories, especially those traveling from Sweden.
 
A private graveside service will be held for the family.
 

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