Bordine Nursery, Ltd. - Marian Bordine, Founder

Mrs. B's Favorite Flower - Pink Geranium

Marian A. Bordine was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 23, 1915. She graduated from Southwestern High School as an excellent scholar during the depression.

In Marian's younger years, she worked at C & F grocery store and then for the Detroit Board of Education supervising 200 people in a WWII program.

Marian met Darrell Bordine, her late husband, at the Greystone Ballroom in Detroit. They eloped to Ohio in 1936. Darrell was a truck farmer from Milan, Michigan and saw the current Rochester Hills Bordine Nursery location on June 17, 1939 - the same day his first child, Bruce, was born.

Darrell and Marian purchased the Rochester Hills site from a bankrupt greenhouse with trees growing through the roof! The original land purchased was 6 ½ acres (now 36 acres) on a 2-lane, Rochester Road.

Marian lived with her parents on 20th & Bagley (near the Ambassador Bridge) while Darrell stayed at the greenhouse to start the family business. In 1942, Marian quit her job with the Board of Education to work hand in hand with her husband.

Over the years, Marian did everything from tending to the crops, taking care of the bookkeeping, doing the Christmas buying and putting together the Bordine Spring Catalogs. Marian was also a life member of the Rochester Branch of the Woman's National Farm and Garden Association.

Marian's husband, Darrell, passed away in 1978. Marian did not enjoy living on her own, so a year later, she moved in with her best friend, Doris Fenner (who was Bordine's first CPA from Fenner, Melstrom & Dooling).

Marian Bordine and Doris Fenner retired in 1980 and enjoyed traveling throughout North America in their motor home. They enjoyed their winters in Hobe Sound, Florida.

Up until recent years, "Mrs. B" (as the "Purple People" at Bordine Nursery affectionately refer to her) could still be found every spring in the greenhouse tending to her beloved Geraniums.

Marian is survived by her best friend, Doris Fenner; son, Bruce Bordine; daughter, Carole Manning Whaley (David); late son, Earl Bordine, M.D. and daughter-in-law Jesslyn Bordine; daughter-in-law, Pauline Schafer; 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be directed to "The Women's Fund" of the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester and to the Rochester Branch of the Woman's National Farm and Garden Association.

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