Nan Borg

(From Knell Mortuary)

Naldean Jean “Nan” Borg, 86, Carthage, Missouri, passed away Thursday morning, August 10, 2023, in Carthage. 

Nan was born December 5, 1936, in Ruso, North Dakota, the daughter of the late Ralph Borg and Alice (Borgen) Borg. She was a graduate of Turtle Lake High School, Turtle Lake, North Dakota. Nan then graduated from Jamestown College North Dakota’s nursing program in 1958. 

She taught at Trinity Hospital School of Nursing at Minot N.D., before joining the military in 1962. Her first post was at Brook Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where she was a staff nurse and later the Assistant Chief of Nursing Education and Staff Development.

During Borg’s military nursing career, she served two duties in Korea and one in Vietnam.

She earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Washington at Seattle in 1972. As an educator, she was responsible for establishing the Army’s Intensive Care Nurse Clinician Course when she returned to Brook Army Medical Center from 1973 to 1978.

Borg served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., from 1978 to 1982 when she worked as Senior Critical Care Coordinator and later Chief of Clinical Nursing. She published a book in 1981, “Core Curriculum for Critical Care Nursing”, a comprehensive reference for all critical care nurses. The same year, she was named “Army Nurse of the Year”.

She had done extensive work in death and dying, fostering an environment where dying patients could do so in a caring and dignified manner.

The U.S. Army cited Nan for Meritorious Service and Outstanding Achievement in 1982. She also received the Bronze Star and Vietnam Campaign Ribbon.

She served as Chief Nurse at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, four years prior to her retirement. She also served at Army hospitals in Denver, Colorado, San Antonio, Texas, Washington D.C., Vietnam, and Korea. Following retirement, Nan moved to Missouri to be near her family.

Nan was inducted into the Jamestown College Alumni Hall of Fame in September of 1990, where she also received her Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Locally, Nan was a member of the P.E.O. Organization, and a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Carthage, Missouri.

Beyond her military life, she loved her family dearly, honored God, and pursued traveling around the world, including Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, and Norway. Part of her travels always took her back to North Dakota, traveling with her mother Alice and her sister Arlyce, being proud Norwegians, they attended the Scandinavian Houstafest many times. She took extensive trips with each great niece and nephew to Washington D.C. over the course of several years. They all have fond memories of their time with Aunty Nan.

Survivors include four nieces, Mary Helm Biesterveld (Rick), Arla Hagen, Vanessa Coates (Lenny), and Michelle Bruns (Kyle); three nephews, Kevin Helm (Jessica), Leonard Helm, and Kelly Helm; a brother, Gary Borg (Dolores); fourteen great-nieces and nephews; six great-great-nieces and nephews; and many extended family and friends.

She was also preceded in death by a nephew, Kenneth Helm; and a sister, Arlyce Helm.

Funeral services will be held at 10 am, Friday, August 18, 2023, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Carthage. The burial will follow at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, Joplin, Missouri. The family will receive friends from 5-7 pm, Thursday, August 17, 2023, at Knell Mortuary, Carthage. Online condolences may be expressed through www.knellmortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of Knell Mortuary.