George Borich Obituary

Borich, Dr. George R. Peacefully passed away on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at the Sheridan at Green Oaks in Lake Bluff after a brief illness. He was a former resident of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Libertyville. George was born on November 26, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, to Helen and Nicholas Borich. He was the youngest of eight siblings and attended Sheridan Elementary and Bowen High School. In 1953, he earned a B. Mus. Ed from VanderCook College of Music and began his award-winning career in Brownsville, Texas. George went on to lead high school band programs in Archbold, Ohio, Duluth, Minnesota, and Chicago Public Schools. In 1962, he earned an M.A from the University of Minnesota and began teaching at Lake Forest High School in 1963 where he served as the Music Department Chairman, Director of Bands, Jazz Band Director, and Music Theory Instructor until his retirement in 1990. In 1984, he earned a Ph.D. in music education from Northwestern University. George was the only college graduate within his immediate family, and he was proud of his accomplishments in light of his humble beginnings. George also was a past president of the Lake Forest Education Association and negotiated the first master contract on behalf of Lake Forest High School faculty. He was a past president of Northwestern University's Music Alumni Association and served as a board member of VanderCook College's alumni association. In addition to his passions for music and education, George loved traveling the world, watching baseball and tennis, and attending many other cultural events. He was a fiercely independent and opinionated person who held everyone around him to the highest standards. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings. In addition to many former students, he is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Lucy and Peter Gray, of Northbrook and their children, Julia and Henry. The Gray family wishes to thank George's caregivers from JourneyCare, the Sheridan at Green Oaks and Compassionate Care of the North Shore who made George's final weeks as bright and as comfortable as possible. A memorial celebration is being planned for Friday, August 9, 2019, at the Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest, IL, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Great Teacher's Scholarship, in honor of Dr. George Borich, at VanderCook College of Music, 3140 S. Federal St., Chicago, IL 60616. Info: Wenban Funeral Home, (847) 234-0022 or www.wenbanfh.com.