Annesa (Jacob) Borla

Annesa (Jacob) Borla, 82, of Torrington, CT, peacefully passed away Saturday, March 11, 2023, at her home surrounded by her family.  She was the wife of the late Richard “Dick” Borla for 60 years. 

Annesa was born on July 16, 1940, in Torrington, CT, the daughter of the late George and Josephine (Farris) Jacob.

Annesa loved people. To watch her connect with anyone she met was a marvel. In ten minutes she would know about their life, their family and their passions.  Her curiosity was genuine, and people naturally opened up to her.

At any given holiday she would open her home to her enormous family and countless friends. The more the merrier. And the food she put out was abundant and cooked with care and love. She was a fabulous cook. She loved a crowd, and she would be sure to connect to each and every guest.

Annesa was a devoted wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, friend, and mentor. She was a formidable business woman, a devout Catholic and gave generously to charities, including St. Maron's Church, Wounded Warriors, and Special Olympics.

She was valedictorian of her class at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, receiving an award for excellence in mathematics, and graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a B.S. in Mathematics and a minor in Business administration, all while raising her six children.  

She taught mathematics at Torrington High School and Northwestern Connecticut Community College from 1977 through 1984. and as chairperson of the THS Math Department's Curriculum Committee was instrumental in developing (and teaching) college level Calculus I and II classes.  She also developed a math program at Northwestern Community College for Vietnam Veterans returning home from war.

She continued to prioritize education and philanthropy throughout her life as she served on the Northwestern Connecticut Community College Foundation / Regional Advisory Council.

In 1985, she left teaching to pursue her career in Real Estate, and became a broker of her own firm in 1988. As a Realtor, with her creativity and gift for numbers, she made the impossible possible for many people. 

She served in many capacities as a member of the Association of Realtors and the Multiple Listing Service, and was instrumental in the betterment of the trade at both the state and local level in ways too numerous to list.

She also served for decades as a member of the Building and Finance Committee at St. Maron's Church, and on the Board of Directors of the McCall Foundation, among other philanthropic works. 

She was a champion of women. When she encountered an obstacle she cleared it. She demonstrated the virtues of hard work, relentlessness, integrity, generosity, unwavering faith, gratitude and kindness, and she did it with a smile and a sweet sense of humor. 

She is survived by her children, Richard Borla and his wife Mariola of Farmington, CT, John Borla and his wife Phuong of West Hartford, CT, Mary Malley and her husband Christopher of Boulder, CO, Karen Borla of West Hartford, CT, Michael Borla and his wife Laura of Ivoryton, CT, Christine Altman of Torrington, CT, Richard Vinisko and his wife Amy of Bantam, CT, Joanne Keller and her husband Danny of Torrington, CT, and Melissa Musselman and her husband Brad of Virginia Beach, VA; her siblings, George Jacob and his wife Karen of Colebrook, CT, Rosemary Jacob of Torrington, CT, John Jacob and his wife Bethann of Torrington, CT; fourteen grandchildren, one great grandson, brothers-in-law William Borla of Torrington, CT, Arthur Borla and his wife Sheila of Winsted, CT. Carol Ellis of Mystic, CT, countless nieces and nephews, and friends, including her special friend Linda Moore.  In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her sister Margaret Vinisko and her husband James Vinisko, her brother Maron Jacob and his wife Susan, and her sister-in-law Mary Ann Borla.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, with the Divine Liturgy of Resurrection at 10:00 a.m. at St. Maron’s Church, 613 Main St. Torrington, CT.  Relatives and friends are asked to meet directly at St. Maron’s Church.  Burial will follow at St. Francis New Cemetery.  Relatives and friends may call on Friday, March 17, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cook Funeral Home, 82 Litchfield St., Torrington, CT.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Friendly Hands Food Bank, 50 King St., Torrington, CT; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or to the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org) 

Condolences may be sent to Annesa’s family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com

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