Chester E. Borck, who is considered the pioneer of frozen bread dough and a promoter and innovator of in-store bakeries, died on October 18, 2008 in Greenville, SC after a very brief hospitalization for congestive heart failure. He was 95 years old. He lived over 60 years in Bridgeport, CT, over 30 years in North Palm Beach, FL and for the past couple of years in South Carolina. Born in Bridgeport, CT, his father owned a successful wholesale bakery, where Chester worked as a boy on holidays and during the summer. He graduated from Central High School in 1931, graduated from Syracuse University in 1935 and was one of the early recipients of a master's degree in business from Babson College in 1936. After formal schooling he went on to study baking skills at Dunwoody Institute and the American Institute of Baking. He then joined the family business and his accomplishments were many and legendary. He invented the first automated English muffin slicer and grill as well as equipment for automating Danish pastry production. After being President of Borck and Stevens Bakery, one of the largest wholesale bakeries in New England, he launched a whole new bakery concept and called his new company Country Home Bakers. He is considered by many to be the father of the modern-day, in-store baking industry created in the 1950's. Using fast-freeze technology he helped develop, he saw the potential of this product being baked off in the store giving the consumer high quality, fresh products on a daily basis. Under his direction the company grew into one of the top thirty-five bakery and snack producers in the United States with operations in many states and a European base in England. Amongst the subsidiaries were Readi-Bake Inc. in Grand Rapids MI and Readi-Bake Ltd in Milton Keynes, England; Jessie Lord Inc. in Torrance, CA and Sanders in Detroit, MI. In 1998 he was given a Master Entrepreneur of the Year award by Ernst and Young and received an Honorary Doctorate from Babson College. He remained active in the company until the 1990's. He is predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Jessie Lord Borck, his sons Chester, Jr. "Jay" and James Lord Borck. He is survived by his wife Abigail, of North Palm Beach, FL; his daughter, Judith of Palos Verdes Estates, CA; his granddaughters, Kimberley Borck Pollard of Sharspsburg, GA, Amity Borck Dey of Atlanta, GA and his grandson James L. Borck, Jr. Jay of Greenville, SC. He also has three step-children, 5 step-grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Services will be held on Saturday, October 25th at St. John's Episcople Church in Bridgeport, CT. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Borck Family Foundation for the Junior golf tournament and scholarship program c/o Brody Wilkinson and Ober, 2507 Post Road, Southport, CT 06890; or to the Alzheimer's Association, c/o The Haven Team, 4124 Clemson Blvd., Suite L, Anderson, SC 29621.
