Joseph “Joe” Edward Borst, Sr, 92, of Sandy Hook, passed away at Bishop Wicke Health Center in Shelton, on March 31, 2020.

Joe is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Barbara Ann (Caron), and their five children, Joseph Borst, Jr, and wife, Kristi, of Wells, Maine, Elizabeth Haugaard of Mt Pleasant, S.C., Michael Borst and wife, Susan, of Ansonia, Conn., James Borst and wife, Laurie, of Elizabethtown, N.C., and Mary Marks and husband, Fred, of Morristown, N.J. He also leaves behind ten grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren (plus one on the way), whom he loved very much. He was predeceased by son-in-law Peer Haugaard.

Joe was born to Francis and Kathryn (Kelly) Borst, Sr, on July 17, 1927, in Jackson Heights, N.Y., the second of five children. Joe enlisted in the US Army Air Corp in September 1944 and was stationed in Germany as part of the post-World War II occupation. He also served as an Air Cadet in US Air Force from 1952 to 1954. Joe graduated from Middlebury College in 1951 with a BA in psychology and later in life earned his Master of Education degree at Western Connecticut State College.

A resident of Newtown from 1955 until 2018, Joe worked for Sikorsky Aircraft (twice) and Perkin Elmer on various government-contracted projects, including the Hubbell Telescope.

Very civic-minded, Joe served Newtown in many capacities for more than five decades. He was a member of the Legislative Council; president and treasurer of Newtown Housing for the Elderly; chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission; a Selectman and First Selectman. Most recently, he was on the Sustainable Energy Commission, and was very proud to serve on the Public Building and Site Commission’s project to rebuild Sandy Hook Elementary School.

In October 2016, Joe received an official citation from the State of Connecticut recognizing his 50-plus years of service to the town of Newtown, and to the State of Connecticut. In November 2019, Joe was awarded the Community Americanism Award by the Newtown American Legion Post 202.

Joe was also an active member of St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, and a longtime supporter of the Newtown High School Band Parents Association and the Newtown Scholarship Association.

Calling hours and a funeral mass will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Newtown Scholarship Association, PO Box 302, Newtown CT 06470, or online at http://www.newtownscholarship.org.

Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. To leave a message of condolence, www.honanfh.com.