Fourth Generation

28. Donald W. "Don" BORCHARDT was born on 26 March 1932 in Wisconsin.^22,24 (A family source lists his birth date as 29 March 1935, but his obituary lists it as 26 March 1932.) He appeared in the census in 1940 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI.¹⁸ He appeared in the census in 1950 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI.¹⁹ He was living with his father and step-mother. ⁴⁷ Newspaper Article in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal: "All the rain that Ozaukee County has received in recent days has to go somewhere, and Monday a lot of it could be seen rushing down Cedar Creek through Cedarburg. 'This is ridiculous,' said Don Borchardt, owner of Don's Resale and Antiques Shop in the lower level of the Landmark Feed, Seed and Supply Co. building just south of the Columbia Road bridge. 'This has been going on for days now,' he said.

On the other side of his shop's eastern wall, Cedar Creek rushed by, doing its best imitation of a white-water rafter's dream come true as it poured over the Columbia Road dam and curved past Cedar Creek Park. But other than flooded parkland, damage in Ozaukee County was minimal, officials said.

Perhaps the closest call occurred at Borchardt's next door neighbor, Silver Creek Brewing Co. The brew pub is in the basement of the same building and includes a creek-side beer garden. Almost 100 volunteers, many of them Cedarburg firefighters, piled sandbags along the brew pub's entrance Sunday, co-owner Steve Roensch said. 'We are so thankful for all the help. It's still lapping over into our beer garden, but, so far, no damage inside,' Roensch said Monday."
Don died on 13 April 2007 at the age of 75 in Cedarburg, Ozaukee County, WI.^22,48 Obituary Notes: "Borchardt, Donald W., of Cedarburg, April 15, 2007 age 75 yrs. Loving father of Ron (Cathy), Jerry (Marirose) and Cindy Dunk. Dear brother of Gene, Rollie and Rollene (Don) Schroeder. Further survived by 9 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, other relatives and friends. Memorial service at the funeral home Friday, April 20, 6:00 PM. Family will receive friends on Friday from 4:30 PM until time of service."

Obituary Notes: "A memorial service will be held for Donald 'Don' W. Borchardt of Cedarburg at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 20, at Mueller Funeral Home (W63 N527 Hanover Ave.) in Cedarburg. Donald died at the age of 75 on Sunday, April 15, 2007 at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Mequon. Family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, from 4:30 p.m. until the time of service.

Don was born on March 26, 1932, son of the late Arthur and Margaret (nee Steiger) Borchardt. He was the owner and operator of Don’s Resale and Antique Shop in Cedarburg for 49 years.

Don is survived by his children Ron (Cathy) Borchardt, Jerry (Marirose) Borchardt and Cindy Dunk; grandchildren Liz Borchardt, Dan (Stari) Borchardt, Dave Borchardt, Josh Borchardt, Joseph Borchardt and Ellen Borchardt, Johnny (Katie) Dunk, Nicki Dunk and Ben Dunk; and great-grandson Ryan Borchardt. Don was the brother of Gene Borchardt, Rollie Borchardt and Rollene (Don) Schroeder.

Don was preceded in death by his stepmother Helen (nee Vandervort) Borchardt; and his sister Denise Stern."
⁴⁹ Newspaper Article: "Ron Borchardt used to wonder why his father, Don, would pay some people for merchandise they brought into Don’s Resale and Antique Shop - and then tuck it safely away in the back, where it had no chance of being resold. He learned later that those people often lived paycheck to paycheck and sold things they really didn’t want to part with in order to earn some extra cash. 'He knew they didn’t want to sell it, so he didn’t put it out,' Ron Borchardt said Monday. 'Later, he would give it back to them.'

Don Borchardt died early Sunday after calling 911 to say he had trouble breathing. 'They did everything they could,' his son said about the paramedics. But Borchardt later died at Columbia St. Marys Hospital. He was 75.

His son remembered another time when a couple sold his father a washer and dryer. Don Borchardt told his young son to go clean and polish it and 'make it look like new.' 'It seemed like all day I worked on it. He came out and said: ‘Load it up. Someone bought it,’' Borchardt said. Later Ron Borchardt overheard the husband and wife talking and realized they bought it for less than his father paid. When he asked his father why, he replied, 'Ronny, they needed it.'

Not everyone knew that side of Borchardt. Many just knew the store as a treasure trove of unusual or hard-to-find goods. 'I remember going in there as a wee girl, and it was just so fun,' said Judy Guse, a building inspector and public works secretary for the city of Cedarburg. 'It was nuts-and-bolts nice.'

Borchardt’s grandson, John Dunk, said it was always a treat when he and his siblings came to visit from Racine. 'He’d give us a paper bag and tell us to fill it up,' Dunk said.

Borchardt opened his shop 49 years ago after his job at the Mercury Marine plant moved to Fond du Lac and he chose not to move with it. 'He liked Cedarburg and what it had to offer his family,' his son said.
Don Levy said that while Don’s Resale Shop used to be on Center Street, it was in its current location in the Landmark mill when his Cedarburg Landmark Preservation Society bought the building. 'Don is part of Cedarburg’s folklore. He’s an institution,' Levy said. "We’ll miss him."

Ron Borchardt said it’s likely his family will close the resale shop. 'It’s a legacy that will disappear,' he said."

Donald W. "Don" BORCHARDT and Shirley Ellen BANNENBERG were married on 1 May 1954 in Cedarburg, Ozaukee County, WI.³⁸ They³⁸ were divorced about 1990. Shirley Ellen BANNENBERG, daughter of Erwin H. BANNENBERG and (Unknown) UNKNOWN (BANNENBERG), was born (date unknown).

Donald W. "Don" BORCHARDT and Shirley Ellen BANNENBERG had the following children: