William R. Borton, 53, a resident of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and formerly of Boise and Ketchum, Idaho, died unexpectedly on June 14 in Kodiak, Alaska.
He attended Boise High School, the Colorado Academy in Denver and the College of Oceanography in Los Angeles.
Known to his family as Rick, to his many nieces and nephews as Uncle Ricky and to his many friends in Idaho, Hawaii and Alaska as Mort, he was a man of great passion, big appetite and tender empathy. At different stages of his life he was an extraordinary athlete, a superb (though very messy) chef, a highly skilled woodworker and finish carpenter and an accomplished scuba diver and underwater welder.
Rick chose to work with his hands, and also had an incredibly sharp mind that could dredge up the most obscure trivia and quote, verbatim, humorous TV episodes and movie scenes.
He made and kept scores of loyal friends because he always saw humor in the things that drive most people crazy and had a gift for ridiculing the pretentious as well as an uncanny skill for spinning a good yarn—mostly true. He was generous with his time, attention and everything he had to give.
The testament to his big, full life is those of us who knew and loved him and whom he loved. Rick cherished his many nieces and nephews. They all adored Uncle Ricky, who always acknowledged their birthdays and holidays with a special gift and a great joke.
Rick was preceded in death by his father, William H. Borton. He is survived by his wife Lani, his mother Faye Borton, his sisters Lindie Borton, Susan Seder, and Laurie Matthews, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial will be held in Hawaii at a later date.
O'oe ai iloko ko'u pu'uwai mau loa. (You are in my heart forever).
