Friends, family, students and faculty gathered at Paris-Yates Chapel Sunday afternoon to celebrate the life of well-loved emeritus medical chemistry professor Ronald F. Borne.
Borne died last Monday at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford.
Borne was heavily involved with the university and served many roles. He served as chair of the department of medicinal chemistry, interim vice chancellor for research and as a faculty representative for the Ole Miss Athletics Committee.
Sunday afternoon, Friends, family, students gathered at Paris-Yates Chapel to celebrate the life of emeritus medical chemistry professor Ronald F. Borne. (Photo by Briana Florez)
With around 80 papers published in peer-reviewed and professional journals, Borne had an impressive career in medical research. Several of his research programs have been funded by federal agencies including National Institute of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education.
Borne was a talented writer and educator, but he also had a special ability to bring people together, according to his younger brother Alan Borne.
“People would say I came to Ole Miss because of your brother Ron,” Borne said. “He was a connector, he connected people.”
Borne went out of his way to make everyone feel welcomed, and his tent in the Grove was a popular stop on game days for former students, friends and family according to Borne’s other brother, Barry Borne.
“His place in the Grove was always open to friends and friends of friends,” Borne said. “He had the gift of intelligence, but he also had the gift of personality. He was liked and loved by so many.”
Attendees process out of Paris-Yates Chapel to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” Sunday afternoon. (Photo by Briana Florez)
Many shed tears throughout the service, but laughter filled the chapel many times, too, as speakers recalled memories with Borne. Borne liked to visit City Grocery regularly and enjoyed talking with every person he happened to meet said close friend of Borne, Steven Wooten.
“Ron made an impression on anyone that he met,” Wooten said. “ All of the men wanted to shake his hand and all of the women wanted to hug him.”
In addition to having a love for Snackbar, Big Bad Breakfast, the arts, politics, sports and Ole Miss, Borne loved to golf. Some of the most cherished memories with Borne was from golfing.
“My dad loved the game of golf,” Borne’s son Michael J. Borne said. “He loved that it was a game of honesty.”
Borne was a family man who went out of his way to be at every sports and school event for his children and grandchildren. District Judge Neal Biggers said Borne was often the first person people went to for support.
“He was the guy you would go to when you needed advice, support and encouragement,” Biggers said. “He was about family, whether it was his actual family or his Ole Miss family.”
Barry Borne said he and his brother would speak on the phone every Wednesday night, and sometimes it was hard to get the last word in.
“He would always say, ‘love you, brother,’” Borne said. “For once, I will have the last word. Love you, brother.”
Attendees exited the service to the playing of “Take me out to the Ball Game,” a favorite of Borne’s.
