| Honored by: | Marge and Bob Borgmeyer; Jeff, Kevin and Neal Borgmeyer; and Sara Borchardt |
| Brick location: | F:28 map |
As Maureen's sister, brother-in-law, and aunt, we would like to honor her.
Maureen was born in Bancroft, Iowa on April 24, 1935 to John and Ruth Keefe Scholtes. She died August 28, 1994 in Albany, New York.
Growing up in Algona, Iowa, Maureen graduated from St. Cecelia's Academy there. She attended the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She received a Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Following her graduation from Marquette, Maureen taught English in Milwaukee. She then moved to Chicago where she was on the staff of the Art Institute and Art Director for educational television. Maureen also taught art at the Central YMCA Community College and studied interior design at the Harrington School of Design. After Maureen moved with her family to Albany, New York, she taught drawing and design at the Albany Museum of the History of Art.
Maureen always enjoyed nature, whether tent camping in her back yard, canoeing with the Camp Fire girls, or bird watching. She had a concern for agriculture and loved to watch the changing seasons and the beauty of Lake Michigan. The beautiful flower gardens in her yard were designed by her and tended right up to her death. She was always saying, "I gain so much enjoyment and strength from working with my flowers."
Interest in the arts remained high her whole life. There was always an art project under way in the studio in her home. Many of her paintings have been exhibited in Chicago and in Albany. They added a special interest and beauty to her home. Maureen also worked with silver and designed jewelry which she generously shared with family members. She restored a grand old house to its former beauty; designing a new kitchen, scraping, sanding, painting, and hammering. No home improvement task was too great for her to tackle.
Maureen was married to Sheldon Tobin and was the mother of two children, Valerie and Marc. Maureen's two children played a big part in her life, always wondering if being an older parent was fair to her children. But age made no difference when it came time to give them encouragement and direction while keeping in mind their individuality. She could usually see the humor in the antics of her children when they were small and felt great pride in their accomplishments in later years. She enjoyed the companionship and encouragement of her husband, Sheldon, in her many artistic endeavors.
There always seemed to be animals in Maureen's life. Her two sisters and brother will always remember helping chase down her chickens and ducks when a neighbor would complain that these animals were in her garden. Maureen grew up with cats and kittens. Her love of animals was as an adult with different dogs sharing her apartments in Chicago and her two cats sharing their house in Albany.
Her other interests included politics and membership in the League of Women Voters. She was also instrumental in starting a book club in the Albany area.
The Borgmeyer family enjoyed many trips to Chicago and Albany. Maureen was a wonderful hostess and made her sister and family feel at home. She always took time to be a tour guide.
Maureen's life was shortened by cancer at age 59. She left behind her paintings to be viewed, the flower gardens to be enjoyed, and her pet cats and family members that loved her.
Submitted on 7/1/96