Nathan “Nate” Henry Borstel, 28, passed away on December 30, 2019 at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, after a brief illness. Born in Boston on February 15, 1991, Nathan was a proud 2010 graduate of Medway High School. Nathan became a Cambridge resident after graduating in 2012 from the Threshold Program at Lesley University.
Nate is survived by his family which includes his father Sean Borstel; mother Lisa Stepanski; sisters Emma and Lydia Borstel, all of Medway; brother Theodore Borstel and his wife, Elizabeth (McNulty) of Marlborough; grandmothers Jane E. Borstel of Florida and Patricia Stepanski of Conn.; aunts Laura Nefissi of Virginia, Susan McComber of Conn. and Faith Brown of Florida; companion Sarah Allen and her parents, Peter and Jane Allen of Plymouth; godparents Paul O’Brien of Hanover and Lisa Sergi of Milton; several aunts, uncles, cousins, and countless friends. He was predeceased by his grandfathers, Theodore J. Stepanski and Charles R. Borstel.
Blessed with an optimistic outlook, a persistent work ethic, and an infectious sense of humor, Nate lived a rich and happy life, with strong friendships at its core. A proud Eagle Scout, Nate embodied the scout ethic in all he did. He was trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
A passionate Red Sox and Patriots fan, Nate had an impressive command of sports stats and history, never more fully on display than when he attended the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown and identified major stats and teams for every player riding in the annual Hall of Famer parade.
A longtime employee in the Housewares department at TAGS Hardware in Cambridge, Nate took his job seriously, memorizing the location of every product, cheerfully answering customer questions, and good-naturedly teasing his co-workers who relished his companionship and wit.
His life in Cambridge was also enriched by his friendships with roommates and fellow Threshold alums, Jake Hemmers and Mike Heath.
Nate will be sorely missed by his beloved companion, Sarah Allen, whose parents, Jane and Peter, embraced him as their own and included him in many joyous family celebrations.
Nate enriched the lives of all around him with his delightful sense of humor and many quips and witticisms. “Are you struggling, Dad? he would ask with a perfectly straight face when his father was wrestling to open a pickle jar. His calls to his grandmother, Jane, on Pats game day always opened with “Did you talk to Tom Brady today?” Nate’s love of life is summed up in in his oft-repeated tag line, “It was AMAZING!” applied to vacations, parties, food, or any other extraordinarily wonderful experience.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral from the Ginley-Crowley Funeral Home, 3 Barber St, Medway (www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com) on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 9:15 AM followed by a funeral Mass at St. Joseph Church, Medway at 10 AM. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Medway.
Calling hours will be held on Friday, Jan. 3 from 4-8 PM.
Donations in Nate’s memory may be made to either the Threshold Program at Lesley University, 80 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA 02053 c/o Krista Digregorio (https://lesley.edu/give-today) or the Boy Scouts of America Mayflower Council Memorial Tribute Fund at BSA Mayflower Council, 2 Mt. Royal Ave, Suite 100, Marlborough, MA 01532 (mayflowerbsa.org/memorial).
Nate’s family is forever grateful to the ICU staff at Mt. Auburn Hospital for their care and support of Nate at this extraordinarily difficult time, as well as to family and friends who have shown their love of Nate in so many heartfelt ways.
“And can it be that in a world so full and busy the loss of one creature makes a void so wide and deep that nothing but the width and depth of eternity can fill it up!” Charles Dickens