Luis Alberto Francisco Borda                                         

January 3, 1949 – January 1, 2026

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Luis “Lucho” Borda, who left us on January 1, 2026, just two days shy of his 77th birthday. 

Born in Santiago, Chile, on January 3, 1949, Luis immigrated to the United States in 1963. As a young man, he faced the challenges of starting over in a new country during a difficult era, yet he built a life grounded in hard work, perseverance, and quiet strength.

Luis was drafted and inducted into the U.S. Army in February 1969 and dutifully served in Vietnam, being honorably discharged in November 1970. His service reflected his sense of duty and commitment to his adopted homeland.  In 1973, Luis married the love of his life, Linda Borda (née Crawford), and together they shared over 52 years of love, partnership, and family.

He worked as a skilled CNC machinist for 25 years at Louis Allis/Magnetek Corporation and later retired from Ladish Corporation in 2015. 

Luis was a man of resilience and quiet strength—a calming presence in his family. Known for his intelligence, attention to detail, and resourcefulness, he approached every challenge with patience and care. He enjoyed spending time outdoors, tending to his yard, and working with his hands, finding pride and peace in a job well done. He loved his family immensely, especially his wife, children, and grandchildren, and there was not a person he did not help. Proud and principled, he was a strict man who spoke little but always spoke up when it mattered. Even though he valued hard work, he never missed an event for his kids or grandkids, showing that family always came first. Even during his final year, when his health began to decline, Luis was more concerned with his family than himself—always putting their needs and well-being above his own.

Preceded in death by his parents, Pablo and Marina (née Hidalgo) Borda; his brother and best friend, Pablo Borda Jr.; and his in-laws, including his father and mother-in-law, James V. Crawford and Fern (née Shandal), and siblings-in-law Connie (Jim) Geary, Katie (Bob) Paul, Jerry Crawford, Daniel Crawford, and James R. Crawford. Luis leaves behind his loving wife, Linda; his sister Maria (Larry) Wiesner; his son Luis (Marybeth) Borda; his daughter Lisa (Octavio Rivera, Jr.) Borda-Rivera; and his cherished grandsons, Jorge Vasquez-Borda, Jacob Borda, Carsen Daugherty, and Roman Borda. He is also survived by his brothers- and sisters-in-law: Genevieve “Genny” Borda, Terry (Barbara Muraco) Crawford, Nancy Wozniak, Debbie (Terry) Tariq, and Julianne Harris; his half-siblings Maximo Borda Dupry and Juana Eliana Borda Dupry; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Luis’ legacy of humility, quiet strength, deep love for his family, and unwavering work ethic lives on through his children. His care, commitment, and generosity will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

A celebration of Luis's life will be held on January 31, 2026, at the Heritage Funeral Home. 4800 S. 84th Street. Greenfield, WI 53228, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, during which he will receive military honors in recognition of his service. The family invites all who knew and loved him to join in honoring his remarkable life.

His wife Linda would also like to extend a special heartfelt thanks to their daughter Lisa who used her nursing skills and dedicated care to help her father in his time of need and to Linda's sister, Nancy Wozniak who supported our family and helped us care for him in the comfort of his home during his final days. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Luis’ name to the IPF Foundation, an independent nonprofit solely focused on accelerating research for treatments and cures for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Rest easy, “Don Lucho.” You will be missed.