Roger W. Borrell Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Roger W. Borrell, 81, passed away peacefully in Yuba City, California, on February 18, 2020. Roger lived a full life as a husband, father, grandfather, attorney, farmer and outdoor enthusiast. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Donna; his son, Mark; his granddaughters, Haley, Avery and Riley; and his brothers, Bob (and wife Sherrill) and Greg. He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Jeff. Roger was born July 22, 1938, in Oxnard to A.J. "Jack" and Marjorie Borrell. He was the oldest of their three sons. The Borrell family lived on what is presently the east side of Ventura. Although it may be hard to envision now, in the 1940's and 1950's the rural areas in and around Ventura abounded with wildlife. Roger grew up sloshing around an old marsh - now a marina and golf course - with a shotgun over his shoulder in the tracks of his dad. Thus, it was at an early age that Roger fell in love with the outdoors. Roger graduated Ventura High School and then went on to college at USC. He graduated from USC law school in 1963 and returned to Ventura County to practice law in one of the area's prestigious firms. He eventually started his own practice. Over 30 years as an attorney, Roger develop a reputation as a formidable trial litigator and a leader in the Ventura County Bar. At 6' 5" Roger cut an imposing figure in the courtroom, and he was someone you wanted on your side. Throughout his career, Roger handled an array of cases, but he was drawn to representing injured persons and those charged with crimes. Roger didn't condone crime, but he was at his most passionate in pushing back against government overreach. These feelings drove him to his most important case. In 1974, Roger persuaded the California Supreme Court that it was fundamentally unfair for police not to preserve evidence that could show a person was innocent if the police could easily save it. That decision was eventually cited in over 100 appellate opinions by state and federal courts in 17 states, before the law was changed by the United States Supreme Court in 1984. In 1993, Roger retired from practicing law to be a full-time farmer. Truth be told, Roger was always a farmer. He grew up on his parents' ranch, and in the 1970's he and his dad bought a lemon ranch near Somis. They added oranges and avocados later, and eventually Roger bought his father out. Even as a "gentleman farmer," Roger loved to get his hands dirty. Roger bought a rice ranch in Colusa County about the time he "retired." He and Donna moved to Yuba City full-time a few years later. Roger was quickly accepted on the board of the water district servicing the area around his ranch, Reclamation District 1004. He would eventually serve on the board for over 24 years and was actively engaged as the board's vice-chair up to his passing. Roger's background as a fiscal conservative, farmer and lawyer cast him in a unique and invaluable roll on the board. He is remembered for vigilantly safeguarding agricultural water rights. Anyone who knew him would tell you that Roger was tough as nails. In the 1980's he was ejected from a rolling vehicle and sustained numerous broken bones. He spent days in the ICU and then weeks at home in a hospital bed. Roger made a full recovery. Then in the 2000's Roger was diagnosed with cancer. After several extended stays at City of Hope, Roger walked away a cancer survivor. Roger was a lifelong outdoorsman. His adventurers took him from South America to Alaska. He hunted deer and elk throughout California and the Rockies. As an angler, Roger loved to fish the rivers of Northern California for striped bass or his much-loved Eagle Lake for trout. In 1999, he caught a world record California Halibut off the Channel Islands. His record stood for 12 years. Roger loved waterfowl hunting. He remembered fondly hunting ducks and geese as a boy with his dad and Bob in the rice fields of Northern California, and he never lost that passion. Well into his seventies, Roger spent many a cold morning watching the sun rise over his rice fields as the birds passed overhead. But Roger was both a hunter and a conservationist. He carefully maintained two dozen wood duck nesting boxes on his rice ranch. (These ducks are under pressure from loss of natural nesting habitat.) Roger meticulously counted and banded his chicks and reported the data to a wood duck conservation agency. Over 100 wood ducks were hatched on the ranch each year. We lovingly say good-bye to Roger with an Irish blessing that he was fond of: May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your side, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rain falls soft upon your fields, And, until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hands. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 7th, 2020, at 11:00 am at the Chapel of the Hills, Conejo Mountain Funeral Home in Camarillo, California: https://www.conejomountain.com/tributes/Roger-Borrell, with reception to immediately follow. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 25th, 2020, at 12:00 pm at the family home in Yuba City, California. In lieu of sending flowers, the family invites you to make a donation to Ducks Unlimited or the City of Hope in Roger's memory.

Tributes

Roger W. Borrell

July 22, 1938 - February 18, 2020