A longtime politician and former university president who launched his political career by representing Seminole County in the Oklahoma House of Representatives has passed away at the age of 83.

David Lyle Boren, who grew up in Seminole and practiced law here during his tenure as a state representative, died Thursday, Feb. 20 at his home, reportedly from complications with diabetes.

Boren was instrumental in helping Seminole Junior College (now Seminole State College) break away from the local high school and become a stand-alone institution. SSC President Lana Reynolds reflected on Boren’s legacy and the role he played in establishing the college.

“David Boren left a legacy of public service from his time as State Representative, Governor and U.S. Senator to his impactful tenure leading the University of Oklahoma as President,” Reynolds said. “At Seminole State College, he will be remembered as a community leader who played a pivotal role in securing the College’s future during a time of uncertainty in the late 1960s. His efforts to separate then Seminole Junior College from the local high school, secure land for a dedicated campus, recruit a president and rally critical political support were instrumental in establishing the institution we know today.”

Boren served four terms in the state legislature beginning in 1967 before making a successful bid for governor in 1974. He became the nation’s youngest governor, although he held only one term. Boren opted to not seek reelection in 1978 and successfully ran for the U.S. Senate. He resigned as senator in 1994 to become President of the University of Oklahoma, a post he held until his retirement in 2018.

Boren was born in Washington, D.C. on April 21, 1941, to Christine (née McKown) and former U.S. representative Lyle Hagler Boren.

Lyle Boren’s sister, Mae Axton, cowrote the Elvis Presley hit “Heartbreak Hotel.” Mae’s son, Hoyt, was a successful singer, songwriter and actor.

A 1959 graduate of Seminole High School, Boren was a Rhodes Scholar, earning degrees from Yale and Oxford before receiving a juris doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1968.

Boren was married twice; first to the late Janna Little, with whom he had two children, Dan and Carrie. They divorced in 1976, then he married Pontotoc County Special District Judge Molly Shi on Nov. 27, 1977.

“My father loved the people of Oklahoma. He saw public service as a noble calling and dedicated his life to it. He was driven by a deep desire to improve the lives of others and build a better future for our state, nation, and university,” Dan Boren told NonDoc. “The countless heartwarming stories I hear almost daily from people across this state who he helped are reminders of his remarkable life. We shall cherish the memory of his service and remarkable life.”

Governor Kevin Stitt on Thursday issued a statement on Boren’s passing and announced flags on state property have been lowered to half-staff to honor his life and legacy.

“Today, I join Oklahomans in mourning the loss of former Governor David Boren, who dedicated his life to serving our state. His love of Oklahoma was evident in everything he did. Sarah and I extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Molly, and the entire Boren family,” Stitt said. “As a sign of respect, I’ve ordered all flags on state property to be flown at half-staff until his interment.”