MERIDIAN — Ada Gertrude Borkowski, age 52, of Meridian, passed away Friday, June 26, at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 1, from 1 -2 p.m. at Burton Funeral Home in Indianola. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. with Rev. Reggie Howell and Rev. Donnell Wiggins officiating. Burial will follow in Indianola Memorial Gardens. Burton Funeral Home of Indianola has been entrusted with arrangements.
Ada, affectionately known as Trudi to her family, was born October 1, 1973, in Hollywood, Florida, to Eugene and Bonnie Athey Borkowski. She was a remarkable woman of extraordinary intellect, talent, and grace. She leaves behind a legacy of learning, compassion, and inspiration. From an early age, she possessed a rare magnetism that drew others to her, making her a beloved presence among family and friends. As the cherished only child, she brought great joy and pride to those who loved her, especially her parents.
She graduated from Delta Academy in Marks, where her love of learning and adventure began. While there, she traveled to Europe, sparking a lifelong passion for exploration and discovering the world. She continued her education at Mississippi College, earning her Bachelor’s degree, and later earned dual master’s degrees in American literature and history from the East Tennessee State University.
A gifted scholar and educator, she shared her knowledge and passion for learning as an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University and through teaching positions at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York; Farleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey; and King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. After moving back to Mississippi, she began working with the Mississippi Department of Corrections Department of Paroles and Pardons in the Lauderdale County office, where she interviewed potential parolees and helped them develop plans for returning to life in the free world.
She was a multilingual, lifelong learner who loved animals, travel, literature, and history. She was also a gifted musician who taught herself to play piano and blessed others with her beautiful soprano voice.
Her brilliance, curiosity, creativity, and kind spirit touched countless lives. She will be remembered as an extraordinary woman whose love of knowledge, music, and the world around her made her truly unforgettable.
Trudi was preceded in death by her father, Eugene Borkowski; paternal grandparents, Sigmund and Mary Bianoski Borkowski; and maternal grandparents, Eldred Eugene and Johnnie Rayburn Athey.
She is survived by her mother, Bonnie Athey Borkowski of Tutwiler; uncle, Eddie Eugene Athey (Sharon) of Quitman; her fiancé and love of her life, Edwin G. Bell, III of Meridian; two beloved cousins, Chris Athey (Theresa) of Russell and David Athey (Susie) and their son Taylor Athey of Quitman; and a host of other cousins.
