Walter L. Borla, age 94, died December 1, 2020. Walter was born February 13, 1926 in Castle Gate, Utah to Pete and Jennie Ariotti Borla. He married the former Josephine Simillion of Glenwood Springs, Colorado on July 2, 1950 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Elko, Nevada. He spent the majority of his long life as a resident of Helper, Utah in Carbon County. He was a graduate of local schools, including Carbon College, and served in the U.S. Army during 1945-46.
Walter was employed by the Postal Service and retired in 1992 after 45 years of service; including postmaster of Huntington and Helper, Utah and an assignment at postal head-quarters in Washington DC. He was active in the National Association of Postmasters, a past editor and president of the Utah chapter, a past national vice-president of the Postmasters Association, and a past editor of the Postmasters Gazette. He was very active in the Retired Postmasters Association and served as their national historian. He was awarded a life-time achievement award by the Postmasters Association in 1999.
With an intense interest in sports, particularly baseball, Walter was one of the founders of little league baseball in Helper, a past president of the Western Boys Baseball Association, and served on the WBBA Board of Directors for over 30 years. He also was involved with Helper American Legion baseball, keeping score and announcing games from “Buck’s Condo” at the Helper ball field. He was a member of the 1943 state championship Helper American Legion baseball team and played amateur and semi-pro baseball. He directed the Helper Kiwanis basketball tournament for 37 years. For many years, he reported on local sports for the Helper Journal, Price Sun Advocate and Salt Lake Tribune. In 1989 the Helper City Council designated the little league field in Helper as “Walt Borla Field”. He was inducted into the USU-Eastern Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.
Walter was a firm believer in life-time learning and was a voracious reader. Born of immigrant Italian parents and proud of his Italian heritage, he served as secretary of Helper’s Italian-American Lodge, Stella D’America, since 1950. He was a past national president of the Columbian Federation of Italian-American Societies. He was elected to several terms on the Carbon School Board and also served on the Utah School Board Association Board of Directors. He was active in politics as a member of the Democratic party and often shared his opinions on various topics via frequent letters to the editor.
Walter was a lifelong member of St. Anthony Catholic Church and was a member of their Knights of Columbus. He was active with the Helper Post of the American Legion. He was especially proud of his annual vegetable gardens, distributing the harvest to neighbors and friends.
He is survived by his daughters, Marilyn (Ron) Magann, Salt Lake City, Carolyn (Dale) Woodbury, Ridgeway, Colorado; sons, Jim (Summer) Borla, John (Millie) Borla, both of Sandy; four grandsons, Adam Dunn, Tyler Woodbury, Zachary Borla and Jake Borla; two granddaughters, Jasmine Percy and Nicole Kinsel; three great granddaughters, Autumn Jo Borla, Ivy Woodbury and Emily Dunn; two great grandsons, Vince Borla, Max Percy and baby boy Percy due in March; four sisters, Norma Przytulski, Salt Lake City, Edna Romano, Salt Lake City, Flora Franck, Oakhurst, CA., Esther Morash, Wenatchee, Washington.
Preceded in death by his wife Josephine and his parents.
Private family Mass, Saturday, December 5, 2020, 11:00 a.m., St. Anthony Catholic Church in Helper. Committal, Mt. View Cemetery, Helper. A Celebration of Walt’s life will be held at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.