Jeffrey C. Bortner

YORK Jeffrey C. Bortner, 86, of York, died on February 22, 2010, at Memorial Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Gene C. (Patermaster) Bortner, to whom he was married for 60 years. He is also survived by his deceased sister's husband, Robert LaCaff; a brother in law, Jan Patermaster; five nephews and nieces, J. Jay Bortner, Jan Bortner, John Bortner, Jr. Buteena Pfeffer and Bonnie Biro, and their families. A brother, John Bortner and a sister Lena (Bortner) LaCaff predeceased him. Born on December 12, 1923, he was the son of the late Clair J. and Laura (Landis) Bortner. Except for attending college, law school and while in the Army, he resided his entire lifetime in York County. He started school in a oneroom school at Kreutz Creek. Shortly thereafter his parents moved and he attended Elmwood Elementary School; Mt. Rose Junior High School, where he was elected President of the student body; and York High School (Class of 1941) where, because of his various activities, he was named to "Who's Who in American High Schools". He obtained undergraduate credits at George Washington University before enlisting in the Army and obtained his law degree at George Washington after his discharge from the Army. During his education his fraternal memberships were Alpha Debating Society (High School), Kappa Alpha (College), and Phi Delta Phi (Law School). In 1943 he enlisted in the Army as a Private and after service of 47 months was discharged as a Captain (Infantry). During the war with Germany he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader in the Eighth Infantry Division. After the war ended, he was selected as Aide-de-Camp to Major General Bryant E. Moore. During his military service he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, two Bronze Crosses, one for meritorious service and on for valor and the Army Commendation Ribbon. During his professional life, he had a law office in York and for more than 30 years he maintained a branch office in Glen Rock. His main fields of practice were real estate, banking, representations of municipal bodies and estate administration. From the Pennsylvania Borough's Association he was presented with the Chrostwaite Award and the Board of Directors Award. Upon his resignation as Solicitor of Glen Rock, the Community Building was renamed the "Bortner Building" in recognition of his long service. During his entire career he was active in professional organizations. He served as an officer and director of the York County Bar Association, York County Bar Foundation, Board of Law Examiners and Publication Board. He established the Senior Lawyers Committee and served 8 years as its Chairman. For many years he wrote articles relating to legal matters and personalities for the York Bar Brief. From the Bar Association he received the 50-year Practice Award, an Award for his articles in the Bar Brief and recognition as a Charter member of the Jeremiah Black Society. He served on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Senior Lawyers Committee. He was also active in the banking business, having been a Director in Peoples Bank, formerly Peoples Bank of Glen Rock, from 1962 to his retirement in 1993. During that period he was elected Secretary then Chairman. He was also Chairman of Codorus Valley Bancorp, the Bank's holding company. Peoples Bank established a scholarship in his name at the Southern York County School District, in 2007. He was a member of St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, in which he had served as a Sunday School intermediate department teacher and on the Missionary Committee. Over the years he was involved as a member, sometimes officer, in activities of the Bortner Family organization, Glen Rock Lion Club, Glen Rock Hose and Ladder Company, Glen Rock Centennial Association, York Baseball for Boys, York County Aquarium Society, York Chess Club, Pa. Chess Federation, American Red Cross, Girl Scout Camp Study Committee, York County Conservation Society, University Club of York, York County Council of Social Agencies, Martin Memorial Library, York County Historic Trust, Strand Capital Performing Arts Center, Maryland-Pennsylvania Railroad Society, Jeffersonian Club of York, and Regents Glen Country Club. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. at the Etzweiler Funeral Home, 1111 E. Market St., York. In lieu of flowers, friends are requested to make donations to the Jeffrey C. Bortner Scholarship Fund of the Southern York County School District, P.O. Box 128, Glen Rock, PA 17327; or to the Arthur H. Hufnagel Glen Rock Library, 32 Main Street, Glen Rock, PA 17327. www.etzweiler.com