A. Rodney BOREN

1916 - 2016

News Death Notice

BOREN, A. Rodney A lifelong resident of Dayton, Ohio, and also formerly of New York City and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, passed away on January 12, at the Otterbein Community in Monclova Ohio, 5 months prior to his 100th birthday. Born in Dayton on June 14, 1916, to Herbert S. and Katharine Miller Boren, he spent his early years in Dayton and Middletown. He attended Oakwood High School where, under the tutelage of Ed Cook, he was the quarterback of the league champion varsity football team and undefeated miler on the track team and set the record for the mile that wasn't broken until the midfifties. After graduating from Oakwood in 1934 he attended Kenyon College where he joined Delta Tau Delta fraternity and continued his competitive sporting career on the football, track, and flying teams. After graduating from Kenyon in 1938, he enlisted in the Navy and continued his love of flying as an aviator and pilot trainer throughout WWII. After being relieved by the Navy of his commitment not to marry during his term of service, he married his high school sweetheart, Charlotte Polk, in March 1941. After being discharged from the Navy as a Lt. Commander in 1947, he was appointed Commander of the Ohio National Guard 121st Fighter squadron from which he retired as a Colonel in 1953. In 1952 he served as chairman of the Dayton International Air Show working closely with aviation friends General Edwin Rawlings and Secretary of the Air Force, Harold Talbott. During this same period he served as an alumni trustee of Kenyon College. He began his business career with the Mead Corporation in 1949 and served in several positions before being named Vice-President of Sales in 1957. In 1961 he became President and Treasurer of the Fourdrinier Kraft Board Institute (FKI) in New York City and he served in this position until his retirement in 1977. While in New York he lived in the Murray HiIl section of Manhattan and was a member of the Canadian Club and the Union League Club, where he was an avid squash player. Upon retirement he returned to Dayton and to the home on Runnymede Road in Oakwood that he and his wife built in 1949 and where they spent their summers while living in New York. He served on various community boards such as the YMCA , American Red Cross, Dayton Museum of Natural History, the Aviation Hall of Fame, and vestry of St.Paul's Episcopal church in Oakwood. He was a member of the 39ers, the 49ers, Miami Valley Hunt and Polo Club, and Moraine Country Club in Dayton. As a golf enthusiast and proud member of Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey for 50 years, he spent his later years playing all of Golf Magazine and Golf Digest's Top 100 courses listings from 1969 onward, all US and British Open courses, and every course that hosted the Walker and Ryder Cup matches. Predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Charlotte Polk Boren, brother, Herbert Boren, and sister, Betty Lee Wood, Mr. Boren is survived by his daughter, Katharine Elizabeth Millhon of Perrysburg, Ohio, and her children Andrew Millhon (Kimberley) of Waccabuc, New York, and daughter, Polk Prud'homme (Samuel) of Seattle; and his son, Rodney Boren Jr., of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and his children, Justin (Emily) Boren of Norwich, Vermont, and Celia Boren of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren - Lucy and Henry Millhon and Harper and Margot Prud'homme. A family memorial service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Oakwood, and friends reception at Moraine Country Club will take place in the spring on a yet to be decided date. Tributes in memoriam can be directed to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 33 West Dixon Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45419 or NWO Hospice, 30000 East River Road, Perrysburg, Ohio 43551.The family would like to thank with much gratitude the care givers at Otterbein, especially, Leslie, LaNiece, and Amanda, for the care and attention over the last 14 months and the Hospice team, especially, Heather and Jessica, who brought care and comfort during transition to eternal life. Additional thanks go to Keitha Bolender for caring for Mr. Boren in Dayton for 9 years following his wife's demise and Nancy Walton, for her friendship and oversight of his activities at Moraine Country Club. Arrangements were handled by Witzler-Shank Funeral home, Perrysburg, OH (419-874-3133)