On July 6th, 2022, Ian Borland passed away peacefully at the Portage & District General Hospital.
Ian was predeceased by his wife Elaine (Billie) Borland and son David.
He is survived by his sons; Lorne (Kathy) and Doug (Donna), eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren
Ian was born on august 30, 1931 in Regina, Saskatchewan and grew up in Lajord just outside of Regina. Ian started his work career as a truck driver at Bowman Brothers Auto Wholesale. He worked his way up through all divisions of the company and finally landed in sales. He was transferred to Thunder Bay for a year and half before moving back to Regina, where he met Elaine. They were married in Regina on April 17, 1965.
Ian was transferred to Portage to manage the Gillis and Warren Branch in 1965. He started the life-long passion which was Western Bearing in 1966. Mom and all three sons worked in the business which is still thriving 56 years later. Ian spent many long hours at the business creating a culture of customer service that set the stage for the company’s success.
Besides a life-long commitment to the management of Western Bearing, Ian was an avid supporter of the Automotive Industry and Entrepenurship. Ian was instrumental in assisting numerous individuals get started in the automotive distribution business. He served on numerous industry boards, including Modern Sales where he was elected chairman. He joined the Winnipeg Executive Association in 1986.
Outside of business, Ian had a passion for local volunteerism, receiving a Volunteer Manitoba Outstanding Community Leadership award from the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba in 2013. He was a life member of the local Lions Club and was a principal fund raiser for the Lions Manor in Portage la Prairie. He also served on the local hospital board and the Portage and District Recycling board. In addition, he worked with the local Beautification Program and Youth Engagement Initiatives.
The family would like to thank the many staff at the Lions Manor that provided excellent care for Ian over the last 15 months.
A Celebration of Ian & Elaine's lives will be held on Monday, July 18, 2022, at 11:00 am at Omega Funeral Home, 83 Royal Rd. S., Portage la Prairie. Following the service please join the family for fellowship, refreshments and lunch.
Messages of condolences can be made online at www.omegafuneralhome.com.