Erica J. Border, 72, passed away at her Bowling Green home Sunday February 3, 2019.
Erica was born in Detroit, Michigan to Dr. C. Byron Johnson and Lucy (Ormond) Johnson on April 10, 1946.
She married Gary Border on August 31, 1968 in Saybrook Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Erica is survived by her husband Gary Border; children Evan Border of Bowling Green, Wesley Border of
Toledo and Alyssa (Tony) Bottrell of West Bloomfield, Michigan; her granddaughter Madilyn Bottrell and
grandson Oliver Bottrell, both of West Bloomfield, Michigan; her sister Ruth Burger of Albuquerque, New
Mexico and brother Stuart (Sharon) Johnson of Milford Center, Ohio; nieces Elsa Johnson and Aime
Johnson; nephews Samuel Border, Alan Border and Samuel Nielsen.
Erica was preceded in death by her parents and brother Mark Johnson.
Erica was a graduate of the X-ray Technology Program at Case Western Reserve University’s Cleveland
Medical Center and was a registered X-ray technologist. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration at the University of Toledo and was the first woman audit staff hire of the Price
Waterhouse Toledo Office. Erica became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) while at Price Waterhouse,
subsequently taking a “break” to start a family. With the kids comfortably settled in BG’s K-12 schools,
Erica returned, on a part-time basis, to Price Waterhouse/Toledo for annual tax seasons.
In 1978, Erica was introduced to quilting by legendary designer/quilter Judi Warren. She joined the Black
Swamp Quilt Guild and the Gathering of Quilters Guild, creating numerous award-winning quilts. In 1992,
she crafted the quilt, “Celestial Navigation,” for her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. An award
winner at the National Quilt Association’s 1992 National Show held at BGSU, “Celestial Navigation” was
featured in the Winter 1992 edition of The Quilting Quarterly. In 1998, Erica was invited to join the
Glass City Quilt Commission (producers of Kaleidoscope of Quilts), a relationship that continued until
her death.
In addition to quilting, Erica enjoyed reading, cooking, crossword puzzles, gardening, swimming and
especially her family. Erica, Gary and family frequently traveled to vacation destinations by rail on
Amtrak’s “named trains” including the Capitol Limited, Lake Shore Limited, California Zephyr, and Coast
Starlight.
There will be no visitation.
A memorial service will be Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 2 p.m. at the Simpson Garden Park Banquet Hall,
1291 Conneaut Ave., Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. Rev. Karl O. Kessler will officiate.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Dunn Funeral Home in Bowling Green.
Erica’s family suggests memorial contributions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Online condolences and fond memories may be communicated to Erica’s family by visiting the Dunn Funeral
Home website at www.DunnFuneralHome.com.