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LAGUNA BLANCA MAGAZINE SPRING 2016

FREDDY “ROSS” BORDEN 

Freddy “Ross” Borden was born in Detroit, Michigan on 
November 16, 1937, where he was immediately thrown into 
the entertainment world. His parents, Harry and Arlynne, 
were both entertainers with separate acts until Freddy came 
along. From that moment, a new act was born—“The 
Bordens: The Nutmost in Dancing.” Ross traveled all over 
with them and even won his first national talent contest at 
the age of eight.

Early in his career, Ross worked on honing his skills 

as a stage entertainer in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and 
Seattle where he has worked side-by-side with countless 
superstars. He had a band on the S.S. Catalina Steamship 
called the “Fred Borden Trio”—going back and forth 
to Catalina. From there, he played for a party at Danny 
Thomas’s home where he got the opportunity to open for 
Sammy Davis, Jr.

Ross also went to dentistry school and worked as a 

dentist in Santa Barbara for nearly 20 years. He was the 
ultimate “singing dentist.” Golf was also a major hobby of 
Ross’s—in fact, he had five hole-in-ones! He loved getting 
his sons, Jeff, Ross Jr. ’88, and Bill, out on the course with 
him however he could.

Not only was Ross an amazing entertainer, dentist, and 

golfer, he was also, most importantly, an incredibly, loving 
husband to Debbie and father of six to: Jeff, Ross Jr. ’88, 
Bill, Julie, Becky ’99 and Katie ’09. Ross was also blessed
with ten grandchildren, all of who he loved so dearly.
  Ross always supported his kids and wife Debbie, who 
was an outstanding leader of the Laguna Blanca Parents’ 
Auxiliary. Laguna’s Athletic Director Jason Donnelly 
recalls, “Ross and Debbie were passionate supporters of 
Laguna, particularly our volleyball program. I had many 
conversations with Ross on and off court as I coached Katie 
as a sophomore on Laguna’s first CIF title in 2006 and 
Becky in club volleyball. Ross always put his family first. 
To him, there was nothing more important in life than his 
family.”
 

Ross was a whole lot of heart and unconditional love 

and anyone who knew him felt that instantly. He passed 
away from Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), which affects 
about 1.4 million individuals and their families in the US. 
Because LBD symptoms closely resemble Alzheimer’s and 
Parkinson’s, it is currently widely underdiagnosed. Many 
doctors or other medical professionals still are not familiar
with LBD.
  The Borden family wishes to carry on Ross’ spirit and
ask that we help spread the word and visit lbda.org.

SUSAN PAYNE ’54

Susan joined Laguna Blanca as a Middle School student and was a member
of the class of 1954. After ninth grade, she transferred to Santa Barbara High
and later excelled at Stanford University.
 

Born on November 24, 1936 in Rochester, N.Y. to Everett Rood and 

Eleanor Shelley, she died on September 30, 2015 in Auburn, CA.
 

Susan moved to California from Rochester, NY with her family in the 

mid-1940s. It was a great adventure for a young girl in those days as she 
traveled across the country by train. After Laguna, she graduated from Santa 
Barbara High School; Stanford University, in just three years; and the Harvard 
Radcliffe program for women (women were not allowed into Harvard Business 
School at that time, a fact that Susan berated them for until her passing).
 

Susan put her psychology degree to use as a social worker and as a 

counselor to inner-city youths in her early years; obtained her real estate 
license, using her business training to buy, refurbish, and rent residential 
investments for 30 years; and was an active case volunteer for Court 
Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children in Placer County, CA in 
her later years.
 

She designed and acted as the general contractor in building her “dream 

house” in which she and her loving husband of 56 years resided. Most 
importantly to Susan was being the mother of three children—“three under
three” as she frequently described Lori Dittel-Payne, Julie Payne Hamilton,
and Christopher Payne. She was especially proud of her grandchildren, 
Serra Raquel, Marshall, Carly, Kelly, Stephen, and Sophie who knew her as
their energetic, engaged, and slightly eccentric “Nita.” She is also survived
by her brother Peter Rood in the Philippines. Susan felt blessed to have 
traveled extensively and made friends virtually all over the world as she 
accompanied her life’s companion, Walt, whom she met while at Stanford,
during one his business travels.
 

Susan loved gardening and was a proficient tennis player in her younger 

years. She was unpretentious, vibrant, and had a strong sense of self-worth.
Once met, she was not forgotten and enjoyed lasting, close friendships with
people of virtually every faith, nationality, and culture throughout the world.
Reprinted from legacy.com

Freddy “Ross” Borden

  

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