ISPA members John and Noeleen Borman's beautiful Seawind over the area
surrounding their New Zealand home

It is with great grief that we learned of John's passing from injuries sustained in a takeoff accident at Lake Taupo in New Zealand on January 17, 2005.   Many Seawind members wrote to express their condolensces to Noeleen and all John's family and friends.   A huge memorial service was held displaying John's touching of many people's lives around the globe.   I have included below some of the thoughts and feelings from fellow members of John's Seawind family:

We have lost a dear, dear member of the Seawind family.Ted and I are so sorry to lose such a wonderful family man so tragically. We didn't know them very well, but met them at Sun & Fun and it is a tremendous loss. We are praying for the family. May God give them strength and peace.     Ted and Nancy El-Hajj

Tears are clouding my perspective. John and Noeleen cared unconditionally about each member of the Seawind community - wished pleasant successes for each of us - as builders and as flyers. Their wonderful Seawind ventures and Johns extraordinary knowledge of the aircraft served as an inspiration to all of us. I am confident that John would want us to learn as much as possible from this terrible situation. My heart aches for his family, the New Zealand aviation community and I reach out to Noeleen with a very tearful embrace.            George Osborne

Mackie and I were saddened to hear of John Bormans death. We stayed with John and Noeleen and flew in their Seawind when we were in New Zealand. John was a very experienced cautious pilot and his Seawind showed he was also a excellent craftman. John had a lot of pride in the workmanship of his Seawind and was always ready to provide answers to construction questions. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go to John's family.   Tony Jurcan

This is an extremely terrible day for John's family and for the Seawind Community. John was a friend and will be sorely missed by Sandy and I. John and Noeleen visited with us when they was last in the states. I took him up flying and showed him a little bit of North Carolina. John is flying a little higher than the rest of us now. Go in peace John.                       Tom Saccio

This is a devastating loss to the Seawind community. John was a very early builder and actually has built 2 Seawinds. His knowledge and contributions to the Seawind family are immense. Our deepest sympathies go out to Noeleen and all John's family.   God bless John and his family.           John Ricciotti

Gidday Folks Just to let you know that John's funeral was held at Tauranga airport, New Zealand yesterday. As befitting a man of his standing in the aviation community it was a huge affair with the airport at one stage closed to allow a fly past followed, at Noeleen's request, a low pass by the other New Zealand Seawind. We are still overwhelmed with grief but I suspect that there will be learning from this and, as would be John's wish, we will share it with you once the investigations are complete. Thanks from down under for your kind thoughts.              Regards Bill Day

BORMAN John Henry. On 17 January 2005, tragically. Very much loved husband of Noeleen, dearly loved father of Michelle, Russell and Fionna, Pauline and Ray, Tina and Mark, and Kevin. Special grandad of Dillon and Dannielle, Kieran, Hannah and Amy, and Bethany and Rebekah. "Flying free." A service will be held at Tauranga Park Funeral Home, 383 Pyes Pa Rd, Tauranga on Saturday 22 January at 11.00am followed by burial at Pyes Pa Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations preferred to Young Eagles, c/o Tauranga Aero Club, Tauranga Airport. Communications to 386 McLarens Falls Rd, R D 1, Tauranga. Tauranga Park Funeral Directors

The following were received by ISPA: November 17, 2002.

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Received by ISPA: November 9, 2002

John and Noeleen sent the following photos from the early days. As with other photos on this site, click on the photo to enlarge.

Expo 86 in Vancouver. The full scale mock-up shell of the Seawind hanging in the Ontario pavilion.

[Birthplace of the Seawind.] The Seawind factory in Haliburton, Ontario. Taken in 1988 on our way to Oshkosh.

1988 Oshkosh. John Borman in the pilot seat with Tony Irwin and Noeleen Borman looking on.