Zola Valene Borchardt

Zola Valene (Nordyke) Borchardt, 90, of Mason City, formerly of Plymouth, Iowa, died Friday, September 18, 2026, at Good Shepherd in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at St. John's Lutheran Church of Rock Township, 1202 390th Street, Osage, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, September 29, 2026, at Champion Funeral Home, 702 State Street, Osage, Iowa. Burial will follow at St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural Osage, Iowa.

Zola was born June 27, 1936, in McIntire, Iowa, the sixth of seven children, to Jess and Marie Nordyke. Zola attended school in Osage, Iowa, graduating in 1954. She married Reuben Borchardt on November 14, 1954, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Osage, Iowa. They lived on his family farm near Plymouth, Iowa until moving to Mason City, Iowa in 2016.

Zola was a homemaker and talented baker. She was an active member of St. John’s and was a 4-H leader for many years. She loved the road trips she and Reuben took with her siblings and spouses and the trips they took with their daughter, Jean, playing cards and she was a talented garage saler, the master of bargaining, always looking for a good deal. She baked for the Farmers Market for several years where people would line up for her pies. She was also known for telling “stories”.

Family was very important to her and she always looked forward to visits from her grandchildren and great grandchildren on the farm and loved holidays.

Zola is survived by her daughter, Jean (Jeff) Gallogly, of Vincent, Iowa; son, Dennis (Denine) Borchardt, of Plymouth, Iowa; four grandchildren, Heather Armstead, Josh (Holly) Borchardt, Rachel (Jamie Hennick) Borchardt and Andrew (Lauren) Borchardt; seven great grandchildren, Ravyn, Devin and Jaden Armstead, Dillon and Mattie Borchardt and Emmett and Peyton Hennick; and several nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Reuben; her parents, Jess and Marie Nordyke; her in-laws, Emil and Clara Borchardt; grandson, John Gallogly; four brothers, Mervin Nordyke, Donald Nordyke, Leonard (Dugan) Nordyke and an infant brother; two sisters, Neva Whitmore and Darla Barrett; three sisters-in-law, Rosemary Nordyke, Hazel Nordyke and Irene Ward; one brother-in-law, Walter Ward.

Hoff Celebrations - Champion Chapel of Osage is assisting the family with arrangements.