Jean Marcele Bongiorno

Jean Marcele Bongiorno, 86, died on November 7, 2024 in Bluffton, South Carolina. She was born in London, England on January 31, 1938. Her father, Private Edward Balunas, was killed in WWII and her widowed mother married an American GI. She arrived in New York in 1946 at 8 years old with her new step-father, mother and brother on the battleship U.S.S Washington that was returning  American servicemen home from Europe.

She grew up in Franklin Square, Long Island, NY and graduated 6th in her class from Sewanhaka High School in 1956.

She married Joseph Bongiorno in 1957 and had 4 children. They were married for 59 years until he passed away in 2016.  Jean and Joe took dancing lessons and always put on quite a dance show at parties. At the age of 50 she discovered the sport of running and became a champion runner. She started winning 5k and 10K races and kept racing until her late 70’s.

She broke many South Carolina State Age Group records including the 60-64 age group in the 5k run and 8K run. She still holds the S.C. State record in the 5k run for 75 yr old women. She won many national gold medals at the U.S. National Senior Olympics, including gold medals when she was in her 50's in various distances and in the 10k when she was 67.

She retired to Bluffton, SC with her husband, Joe, in 1990. She was a co-founder of the Sun City Silver Striders running and walking Club. She played USTA tennis for many years. She volunteered as an Eucharistic Minister at St. Gregory the Great.

After her husband Joe died, she met Daryl Borgman and they have been married since 2019. They had a lot of happy times and enjoyed traveling before the cruel disease of Alzheimer’s made it too difficult. Daryl stayed by her side, caring for her through this awful disease.

Jean is survived by her husband, Daryl Borgman. She is predeceased by her husband Joseph, her son, Joey, and her brother William Balunas.

She is survived by her daughter Lisa, her daughter Gina, her son Michael and daughter-in-law, Rosemarie.

She leaves 11 grandchildren: Krista (Randy), Lindsey, Joseph (Lisa), Gregory, Thomas (Sara), Andrew, Cara Jean,  Daniel, Michael,  Anna and William. She leaves 3 great-grandchildren: Brooklynn, Joseph, and  Emma.

The family will receive friends on Thursday November 14th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Saul's Funeral Home, 90 Simmonsville Rd, Bluffton, SC, 29910

There will be a funeral Mass followed by interment in the Columbarium on Friday November 15th at 10:30am at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, 31 Saint Gregory Dr., Bluffton, SC 29909

To make a donation to the the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in Jean’s memory go to https://act.alz.org/donate.

Alzheimer's Foundation of America
Web: https://alzfdn.org/donate