Maria Kirlis Bornhorst

The world is a little less bright, but the angels in heaven are lucky to have my mother, Maria Kirlis Bornhorst. I hope they are ready for her!

Born in Greece, Maria immigrated to Charleston with her parents when she was a young girl. True to her Cretan roots, she was passionate and stubborn, and when my mother believed in something there was no stopping her. Determined to have “the American teenage experience” she spent her Friday nights as a Rivers High School cheerleader, despite the strict Greek upbringing and her parents forbidding it. In the late 60s she insisted on marching alongside Coretta Scott King-against her boss’s orders and losing her job, but upholding her strong belief in equal rights for all. That was my mother!
She met my father, David “Barney” Bornhorst, while he was a cadet (and basketball player) at The Citadel. She would sneak into games dressed as the mascot, Spike the Bulldog, and cheer on the team that later became famous for its Losing Season. She was trying to impress my father, but her antics entertained the entire team. As Pat Conroy would later write in My Losing Season: “Our locker room was a much happier place after Dave started dating Maria Kirlis, and we hungered for the stories of this hilarious and sexy girl.”

My parents married in 1970 and moved to Indiana so my father could attend Notre Dame law school. Afterwards, my father became a JAG officer, and the armed forces gained the most unconventional Army wife the service will ever see. She would sew incorrect patches on my father’s uniforms, simply because they were pretty- accidentally promoting him to Colonel 15 years before the Army did; she was always ahead of her time. While stationed in Columbia, South Carolina, she found her true passion: belly dancing. Entertaining people became my mother’s career, but it was so much more than that. She partnered with the YWCA to develop classes for breast cancer survivors, helping them rebuild their strength and self-esteem through dance. She performed on televised fundraisers causing the donation lines to ring off the hook! Governor Robert McNair even presented her with the honor of being South Carolina Woman of the year for her charity work.
When my mother danced people noticed. After an appearance on the NBC Nightly News she was asked to perform her signature sword dance on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” While she performed all around the country, she particularly enjoyed her many performances at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, but her most memorable performance was at the Kennedy Center. Her stage name was “Mystic Maria” but to friends she was simply “Mystic”. She was our Dancing Queen.

But there was so much more to my mother, books have been written on less! She met two U.S. Presidents, was asked out on a date by Frankie Valli, and Austin Carr tried in vain to get her to enter a kissing contest. She worked alongside Oscar de la Renta as a top selling makeup artist, as well as sold Cabbage Patch Kid dolls on the “underground market”. More importantly she rescued four young women from a human trafficking ring, bringing them into her home and showing them a small part of America before helping them return to Poland. Her favorite Christmas was the year she brought gifts, groceries, and paid several months rent to an under-privileged Orangeburg family. Her life was as generous as it was remarkable.

If you knew my mother you know that she loved Marilyn Monroe. I will always remember the amazing trip we took to New York City to attend a Christie’s auction of items from Marilyn’s estate. My mother had to dress up as Marilyn for the event, of course. We made many trips to Los Angeles to leave flowers at Marilyn’s grave, clean her star on the Walk of Fame, and nearly committed breaking and entering at Marilyn’s Brentwood home. As a child my mother was drawn to Marilyn not for the glamorous movie star that she was but for the sadness my mother could see in her Norma Jeane’s eyes. They were kindred spirits who never had the chance to meet. I hope that now my mother gets to meet Marilyn in heaven. My mother would have liked to have known her, but she was just a kid.

After my parents retired in Mt. Pleasant, my mother worked beside me at the Charleston Farmer’s Market selling gyros at My Big Fat Greek Tent, allowing her Greek pride to really shine. OPA! She met so many new people on those Saturdays, but she never met a stranger.

My mother always told me that I was the wind beneath her wings, but it was actually the other way around; she was my strength when I was weak, my hope when I was down, my glue when I was broken, she was my best friend and my happiness always. I hope she knew how much she was loved and how much she is going to be missed. The pain we are feeling now is for us still here on earth to feel; for you, Mama, I hope you are surrounded by the spirit of all your loved ones, and that you are making the rounds in heaven meeting Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr and all of your life-long heroes. You are my hero!!!

Maria Bornhorst is survived by her husband David, her daughter Alexis, her son Michael, her grandchildren Collin and Rosemary, her sister Anthoula, and the rest of her loving family and friends.

The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. David A. Bornhorst are invited to attend her Funeral Service at 11:00 AM, Monday, May 16, 2022, at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 30 Race St, Charleston. Burial will follow at Live Oak Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends between 3:00 and 5:00 PM Sunday afternoon at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Hwy. The Trisagion Service will begin at 5:00 PM.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 81 Gadsden St, Charleston, SC 29401 or to the Lowcountry Food Bank, 2864 Azalea Dr, N. Charleston, SC 29405.

Arrangements by James A. McAlister, Inc. (843) 766-1365.