Please click on the video tribute below to view the memorial mass and inurnment for Curtis.

Curtis D. Borchert, 65, Ada, MN, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 25, 2024 at his residence in rural Ada.

Curtis was born May 21, 1959 in Valley City, ND to David and Beth (Collins) Borchert. He graduated from Valley City High School and earned his BS degree in Agricultural Education at North Dakota State University (NDSU).

Curtis was united in marriage to Theresa Fischer on June 8, 1979, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Valley City, ND.

Curtis dedicated his life to education, conservation, and land stewardship. After teaching Ag Education in South Dakota, he moved to Minnesota and became the Manager of the Norman County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in 1988. He also served as a Water Plan Coordinator.

Under Curtis' leadership, the SWCD team planted the majority of trees in Norman County, sealed wells, managed wetlands, engineered feedlots, guided landowners through government programs, and wrote grants. Their work helped create the Agassiz Recreational Trail. He pioneered the efforts to digitize historical aerial photography and land maps using GIS technology. He often spoke on the radio (KRJB) about soil, water, and conservation. After a run in with a moose in a wetland, he applied for and received his seeing-eye dog Truman. Bringing Truman with as he handed out pine saplings to kindergartners. In 2012, Curtis retired from the Norman County SWCD.

Curtis and his partners received a patent for a mobile horizontal gasifier in 2011. He founded and served as CEO for Char Energy and Char Energy Equipment.

Curtis raised sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, llamas, bees, with five sons and his wife, Theresa. Together, they planted gardens & fruit trees, made wine, practiced food preservation, and won the local conservationist award for Norman County in 2012.

He was constantly thinking and tinkering to find smarter ways to tackle everyday tasks or his current projects. He replaced all the plumbing in the Borchert home. He built a hydraulic apple press & garbage-disposal apple masher to speed up cider making. He "upgraded" his Traeger Grill for hanging sausage. He built a bat house atop telephone poles, to name just a few.

Curtis had a deep love of Jesus and after a near death experience joined the Catholic Church in 2017. Curtis and Theresa consecrated their home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, praying together, each night, the Novena to the Sacred Heart. He and his confirmation sponsor Rich Pinsonneault started the Defend the Faith group at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

Curtis had the heart of a host. He was quick to brew a coffee when folks came to visit. You never left the Borchert house hungry–if you didn't want to. Whether at the kitchen table, out in the field, in his office, or in front of a bon-fire, Curtis could keep you captivated with a story.

Curtis Borchert was preceded in death by his parents David and Beth (Collins) Borchert, and his sister Rita (Borchert) (Jones) Richards, his son Otto Borchert, his nephew Mike Handt, sister-in-law Linda (Fischer) Dvorak, and his in-laws Clair and Mary (Killoran) Fischer.

Curtis is survived by his wife, Theresa (Fischer) Borchert; sons Owen Borchert (Laura), Benjamin Borchert (Katie), Peter Borchert (Jessica), and James Borchert; grandchildren, Kahlan, David, George, Nora, Alma, and Elise; siblings William (Bill) Borchert and Cyndee (Borchert) Evans; Duane Borchert and numerous other relatives.

Memorial Mass: 11:00 AM, Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ada, MN.

Visitation: Beginning at 5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with a prayer service to begin at 7:00 PM, with Father Raúl Pérez-Cobo officiating.

Inurnment : Ada Municipal Cemetery, Ada, MN.

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