City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Brian Bortell
Cary, North Carolina
Age 83.
Died 04/23/2025.
Born in Peoria, Illinois, on December 19, 1941, to Glen and Mary Bortell, Brian was an exceptional student with a brilliant mind, starting first grade at age 4 and going on to receive his Master’s Degree in Analytical Mathematics from Michigan State University in 1965. Only his thesis remained to complete his PhD when he opted to shift focus to his growing family.
Brian went on to work as a software developer for Ford Motor Company for over 35 years. Residing in Plymouth, MI, he was an extraordinary father to his four children, John, Andy, Maria, and Katie, and a faithful, steadfast companion to his wife, Dorothy. Brian was a fantastic grandfather to seven. Upon retirement Brian returned to his beloved hometown of Havana, IL, and spent the last two years of his life living in Cary, NC, with his wife and his daughters’ family.
Brian loved the Chicago Cubs and singing along to Elvis Presley. He was an avid movie buff—from sci-fi to drama—and read voraciously. He adored animals, especially dogs, and was awed by the beauty of nature. Brian always had a passion for space and wanted to travel amongst the stars, even being accepted to NASA, although he chose to put his family first.
Brian had the most contagious, full-hearted belly laugh and could get an entire group laughing to the point of tears. He was always quick with a joke to lighten a mood and liberal with his enveloping hugs. Although he was a man of few words, Brian had only friends and made no enemies, blessing and enriching the lives of everyone in his orbit.
Brian was a devoted Christian who served as a deacon at Canton Calvary Assembly of God in Canton, MI, and later at First Baptist Church in Havana, IL. Brian believed in love and compassion above all and was always willing to help. He was a gentle and comforting presence with an abundance of patience. Brian lived a life of service to others, always putting the needs and feelings of others before his own. The heavens are surely rejoicing his arrival as he finally takes that journey through the stars.
Brian is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Dorothy Bortell; son Andrew Bortell and grandchild Alex Bortell; daughter Maria Bortell; daughter Kathleen and her husband Craig Lukasik and grandchildren Ezra and Silas Lukasik; grandchildren Jessica, Jacob, Jenna, and Julia Bortell; brother Ted and his wife Debbie and their son TJ Bortell; sister Glenda and her husband Joe Towery and their two daughters Shannon Roat and Christie Towery and their son Tad Towery; great-nieces Brittany Roat-Sarff, Cassy Roat-Rhinehart, Ellie Roat, Elizabeth Towery, and Willa Towery; great-nephews Christopher Towery and Truman Towery; great-great-niece Emerson Sarff; and several cousins.
Brian was preceded in death by his son, John Bortell; his brother Glen (Glenda’s twin); parents Glen and Mary Bortell; grandparents Frank and Lucy Rudolph and Samuel and Ida Mae Bortell; and several ‘really good boy’ canine companions.
Brian wished to be cremated and for his remains to be buried alongside his family in his hometown. A memorial service (with the option of virtual attendance) will be held this summer in Havana, IL. Details to be announced.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home also offers Aquamation. The Aquamation process, often referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.