'One of the most impactful Oklahomans ever': Public service held for David Boren

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A public service for former Oklahoma Governor and OU President David Boren was held at an Oklahoma City church Saturday.

The service, held at St. Luke's Methodist Church, saw hundreds of Oklahomans showing up to honor the legacy Boren left behind. Boren died February 20 at 83-years-old.

“There is a great hole in the heart and soul of Oklahoma today… We would have wanted to have him around for another 10 or 15 years, but fate has chosen to take him from our state,” said Bob Burke, a longtime friend and spokesman for the Boren family at the time. “I think David’s family has been expecting this for several weeks.” 

Faith leaders noted during the service Saturday a private service was held in his hometown of Seminole weeks ago, but organizers wanted to give the public an opportunity to pay tribute as well.

Boren’s political career began in 1966 when he was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He’d go on to become Oklahoma’s 21st Governor and then he represented our state in the U.S. Senate, serving in Congress from 1979 until 1994. Boren then made his way to Norman, serving as OU’s President for more than two decades. 

"He was a consequential Oklahoman," said Glen Johnson, former Oklahoma House Speaker. "No one else in the history of our state has served as a state representative, governor of our state, a United States senator and president of the University of Oklahoma for 24 years. He brought leadership. He brought vision. He brought character to each of those roles."

Johnson also referred to Boren as "one of the most impactful Oklahomans ever." Plenty of Boren's friends and former colleagues were willing to speak with News 4 about Boren; saying those who truly knew him loved and respected him.

"We had a lot of laughs," said former Oklahoma U.S. Senator Don Nickles. "We had a lot of fun and I think we did a lot of good."

Nickles particularly praised Boren's ability to promote bi-partisanship, saying he was an expert at crossing the aisle as a Democrat to work cooperatively with Democrats like himself. He said that himself and Boren had never had cross words, and that politics has gotten away from relationships like those in more recent years.

News 4 also spoke with Sean Burrage, Chancellor of Oklahoma's State Regents For Higher Education. Burrage said that he worked in Boren's office while they both worked in Washington D.C. He said he doesn't imagine he would have made the transition into education without Boren's guidance, something Boren didn't have to offer.

"This is a guy who could have made millions of dollars doing anything he wanted to do," said Burrage. "He dedicated his life to the state of Oklahoma."

Boren's family shared in a program for the service that they are thankful to all of those who have expressed their condolences through phone calls, text messages, e-mails, cards and public statements.

"Oklahomans know how much David Boren loved Oklahoma-and them," part of the program said.

In lieu of flowers, Boren's family asks that friends consider donations to his scholarship fund at East Central University Foundation in Ada. You can find more information regarding online donations here.