Adam Bryan Borseth

MADISON-Adam Bryan Borseth, age 48 of Madison, died peacefully at home of glioblastoma brain cancer on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 in the loving care of his family. Adam was born in LaCrosse, Wis., to Gerald Borseth and Gail (Lynch) Harrison on Aug. 20, 1970. He grew up in Madison, attending Crestwood Elementary School, Jefferson Middle School, and graduating from James Madison Memorial High School, Class of 1989. In childhood Adam enjoyed youth hockey and soccer, boating, hunting and many hours spent with his extended family in the area. He worked for his dad’s construction business starting at a young age, where he learned many valuable skills that he used throughout his life in his work and his hobbies. In high school he played football, hockey and wrestled. He met his future wife, Kathleen (Carr), in their senior year of high school, and they have been together ever since. He went to Mankato State University for two years and played football there, then transferred to UW-Madison to study elementary education. He also competed on the Badger track and field team in shotput and discus. He was a lifelong model of physical fitness. After college, he worked as a teacher of kindergarten through third grade students in Sauk Prairie, Wis., Dexter, Mich., Verona, Wis., and Madison, Wis. He and Kathleen married in 1997, and he supported her throughout her many years of medical training. Adam’s greatest joy in life was as Dad to Mark and Megan. After Mark was born, he was exclusively an at-home dad for over a year. A lover of music, movies and technology, he started his business, Silver Screen Home Theater and Audio Systems, LLC, in 2004. This was a nice balance for him while he continued to be the primary at-home parent to Mark and Megan. He loved using his teaching skills through their growth and development, and although he never returned to the classroom after Mark was born, he set up an ever-evolving classroom and playground in the basement for the kids where they (and their friends) loved to learn and play. He also coached them both in basketball and soccer for many years, stopping only after he became ill in 2017. He taught them the joy of being out on the water, with countless hours spent boating, tubing and relaxing with family and friends on the Madison lakes. He loved to plan trips and travel as a family. He became a baseball fan alongside Mark, and together we visited many major league ballparks. He built an ice rink in our backyard for several years, bringing the fun of ice-skating and pick-up hockey to our kids, family, friends and neighbors. One of Adam’s greatest gifts was his ability to connect with people of all ages, and this is what he enjoyed most about his business, which grew primarily through word-of-mouth referrals. Adam worked hard to please people and to provide outstanding personalized service. He was a helper in his personal life and his professional life. He was always ready to lend a hand. He was able to build or fix just about anything. Adam was proud and grateful that he was able to continue to work throughout his experience with cancer. Adam valued and modeled hard work, but he also loved to play. He enjoyed playing hockey at the Eagle’s Nest in Verona for years, with annual team trips to the pond hockey tournament in Eagle River. He was a downhill skier, water skier and avid boater. He enjoyed lifting weights and working out at the gym. He loved the mountains and exploring big cities. He was always the dad who went outside with the kids to ride bikes, shoot hoops, practice their soccer skills, play at the park and play in the snow, and he encouraged them to use their imaginations to create their own fun. He and Kathleen enjoyed countless plays at American Players Theater. He had a loud and easy laugh to go along with his beautiful smile, which we will never forget. Adam is survived by many loving family and friends including his wife, Kathleen; children, Mark and Megan; mother, Gail Harrison; father, Jerry Borseth (Marcia MacKenzie); brothers, Doug Dallmann, Adrian Borseth (Shiva) and Eric Borseth (Lynda); grandfather, Richard Lynch (Mary Anne Davis); father and mother-in-law, William and Louise Carr; brother-in-law, Andrew Carr; stepsisters, Leesie Hendrickson (Matt), Annie Thompson (Mike), Heather Coats (Owen) and Heidi Harrison (Jerry); stepbrothers, Heath Harrison, Hoyt Harrison (Monica) and Holden Harrison; and great aunt, Shirley Mabis. He was the loving uncle of Isabella, Brigham, Lucian and Rowan Borseth, Logan and Ian Borseth, John and Cole Hendrickson and Ellie Thompson. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of the family. He had special bonds with lifelong friends, Matt Hendrickson, Russell Doersch, Mike Dallman, David Balsamo, Gary Hunsberger, Brandon Brown and Mary (Mortenson) Duff. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Barney Borseth and Blanche Borseth Marcou; maternal grandmother, Lucinda Lynch; stepfather, Dean Harrison; paternal aunt, Kay Hess; and special great uncle, Eugene Mabis. A Funeral Mass will be held at ST. MARIA GORETTI CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5313 Flad Ave., Madison, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2019, with Rev. Msgr. Michael Burke presiding. There will be a luncheon after the Mass in the parish hall. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON FITCHBURG FUNERAL & CREMATION CARE, 2950 Chapel Valley Rd., Fitchburg, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2019, and also at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. Adam’s family thanks his doctors and nurses at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center for their expert care including Drs. Steven Howard, Ian Robins, and Mustafa Baskaya and Lori Hayes, RN. You helped Adam have an incredibly good quality of life after a devastating diagnosis two years ago. A special thanks to Fr. Mike for his comfort and love. We also thank Adam’s caregivers at Agrace Hospice for helping us to honor his wishes at the end of his life. Thank you to the many friends, family and Kathleen’s work family for the meals, visits and entertaining and chauffeuring of the kids. And to old and new friends who have walked this journey, too, we thank you for your compassion and support. You know who you are. Lastly, our family has benefitted greatly from the support of Gilda’s Club of Madison and Camp Kesem. Please honor Adam and help ease the suffering of other families affected by cancer by making a donation to Gilda’s Club of Madison (gildasclubmadison.org), Camp Kesem at UW-Madison (campkesem.org) or the UW Carbone Cancer Center (UW Foundation, Brain Cancer Research Fund). Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Fitchburg Funeral & Cremation Care 2950 Chapel Valley Rd. (608) 442-5002