Colonel Naldean Jean Borg
Military Nurse and Community Servant
Colonel Naldean Jean “Nan” Borg lived a life of exceptional service, leadership, and compassion that spanned from the front lines of military medicine to the heart of the Carthage community.
Nan was born December 5, 1936, in Ruso, North Dakota, the daughter of Ralph and Alice (Borgen) Borg. She graduated from Turtle Lake High School in Turtle Lake, North Dakota, and from Jamestown College’s nursing program in 1958. She then taught at Trinity Hospital School of Nursing in Minot before joining the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1962. Her first assignment was at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where she served as a staff nurse and later as Assistant Chief of Nursing Education and Staff Development.
Over the ensuing decades, Nan rose through the ranks with distinction, serving as Senior Critical Care Coordinator and ultimately Chief Nurse at Madigan Army Medical Center. Her career included multiple tours in Korea and Vietnam, where she earned honors including the Bronze Star and the Vietnam Campaign Ribbon. A pioneer in military medical education, she established the Army’s Intensive Care Nurse Clinician Course and authored the landmark Core Curriculum for Critical Care Nursing. In 1981, she was named Army Nurse of the Year and later recognized with Meritorious Service and Outstanding Achievement citations. She was inducted into the Jamestown College Alumni Hall of Fame and awarded an Honorary Doctorate.
After retiring, Nan moved to Carthage, Missouri, to be near family. There, her spirit of service flourished at Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre, where she volunteered in nearly every role and became part of the theater’s tradition. She also served as a volunteer ombudsman in local nursing homes, advocating for residents, and extended kindness through the McCune Brooks Hospital gift shop, where she offered comfort to patients and visitors alike.
Nan was a devoted member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and the P.E.O. Sisterhood, reflecting her lifelong commitment to education and service. Her story is preserved in the United States Library of Congress, ensuring her legacy of leadership and compassion endures.
Though her career was filled with national and international achievements, Nan poured her heart into Carthage. From the theater to the hospital, nursing homes, and her church, she became a cornerstone of the community she chose to call home. Carthage was made better by her steady leadership, servant’s heart, and joyful dedication.
Nan passed away on August 10, 2023 at the age of 86 in Carthage, MO. She is buried at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery in Joplin, Missouri.
