William E. Borgen Jr.

William Edward “Bill” Borgen Jr. was born September 13, 1919, in Stoughton, Wisconsin. Born and raised in the community, Borgen would become one of the most active members of American Legion Post 59 of his generation, eventually serving six years as Post Commander.

During World War II, Borgen served in the United States Army and attained the rank of Private. Following his military service, he returned to Stoughton and built a life centered around his family, work and community. He married Mary Hildebrandt in 1940, and the couple raised two children, David and Marilyn.

Borgen held several different jobs during his working life. In the early 1950s, he left a position with the Wisconsin Petroleum Company to become custodian of Stoughton's East Side School. He later joined Dvorak Chevrolet, where he began selling automobiles in 1952. He remained with Dvorak Chevrolet for 29 years before spending another ten years working for the Janesville Data Center.

The American Legion became an especially important part of Borgen's life. Before becoming Commander, he served Post 59 as both First and Second Vice Commander. He then served four consecutive years as Commander from 1959 through 1962.

Those years coincided with a period when Post 59 played a particularly visible role in the Stoughton community. In November 1959, Superintendent of Schools Obed I. Norem wrote Borgen to thank the Post for its contribution to the community's Veterans Day program and American Education Week. Norem also expressed the Board of Education's appreciation for Post 59 making the Legion Hall available to the school district for use as a kindergarten classroom.

For a time, Stoughton children actually attended kindergarten in the American Legion Hall.

The arrangement continued until the school district's new facilities were ready. In August 1960, Norem again wrote Borgen, this time explaining that the kindergarten equipment would soon be removed from the Legion Hall and transferred to Yahara School. On behalf of the administration and Board of Education, he thanked the Legion for its generosity during what he described as a difficult time. Norem even remarked that although the new kindergarten rooms offered many modern conveniences, he doubted the children there would be any happier than those who had attended kindergarten in the American Legion Hall.

Borgen's leadership also coincided with Post 59's strong support of youth programs. In 1961, the Post received a Certificate of Distinguished Service from the American Legion Department of Wisconsin and Badger Boys State recognizing its sponsorship of the program and its work promoting Americanism.

After completing four consecutive years as Commander, Borgen remained deeply involved with Post 59. He represented the Post at state conventions for many years and continued working on Legion projects at both the local and state levels.

In 1964, Borgen was elected to return to the commander's position for the 1965 year. The newspaper announcing his election noted his previous four years as Commander and described him as a man with a reputation for getting things done. More memorably, it reported that many people regarded Borgen as “Mr. American Legion” of Stoughton.

Even five terms were not the end of his service as Commander. Borgen returned to the position once more in 1970, giving him six years of leadership at the head of Otis Sampson Post 59: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965 and 1970.

Borgen was also active in his church. He was a member of Good Shepherd by the Lake Lutheran Church, where he served as church treasurer.

William E. Borgen Jr. died January 23, 1988, at the age of 68 following an apparent heart attack. He was survived by his wife Mary, their daughter Marilyn, their son David, and two grandchildren. He was buried at Eastside Lutheran Cemetery in Stoughton with military graveside rites.

Bill Borgen devoted an extraordinary amount of time to American Legion Post 59. Across six years as Commander and many additional years as an officer, convention delegate and active Legionnaire, he helped guide the Post through a period when it was deeply involved in veterans affairs, youth programs, education and the Stoughton community. The description given to him during his lifetime seems particularly fitting:

“Mr. American Legion” of Stoughton.