Late David Boren married Molly Shi on November 27, 1977, after divorcing Janna Lou Little, becoming the first Oklahoma governor to marry while in office.
An American politician who recently passed away is survived by his children and family.
Highlights
- David Boren was a well-known politician who served in the U.S. Senate till 1994.
- He married Janna Lou for eight years and decided to part ways in 1976.
- Boren and his wife, Molly Shi, a County Special District Judge, exchanged their rings in 1977
Boren was a conservative Democrat and the last Democrat to serve Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate. During his tenure in the Senate, he was the longest-serving chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
After leaving the Senate in 1994, he moved into academia and became the 13th president of the University of Oklahoma through 2018.
Under his leadership, the university experienced stunning growth in academic success, campus development, and national standing.
David Boren Was Married to Janna Lou Little. However, the Two Separated
David Boren married Janna Lou Little in 1968, beginning a marriage that would integrate personal and political life.
Lou was an American educator who became the 18th Oklahoma First Lady upon her husband’s election as governor in 1975.
The University of Oklahoma is saddened to share the passing of David L. Boren, whose life’s work was rooted in his commitment to the people of Oklahoma and his belief in the power of education to change lives. pic.twitter.com/dOWh6sb9jE
— University of Oklahoma (@UofOklahoma) February 20, 2025
She used to work as a French and English teacher as her then-husband started his political career.
Boren and her spouse had two sons, Dan and Carrie. The latter followed in his dad’s footsteps and entered politics.
As first lady, Mrs Borenm operated backstage while assisting with Boren’s political rise.
However, their marriage, although one shared path, was not problem-free, and they declared divorce the same year in 1975.
The pair’s divorce was completed in 1976, ending an eight-year marriage with personal and significant political achievements.
Similarly, his ex-wife married John Clinton Robbins, opening a new chapter in her life.
Sadly, the politician’s former wife was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996, and she passed away on May 25, 1988.
Their divorce aside, Loue’s First Lady years and serving as Dan Boren’s mother left during legacies in Oklahoma’s political and social aspects.
David Boren, The Late Politician, Married Molly Shi After His Separation From His First Wife
David Boren, the attorney, made history when he married Pontotoc County Special District Judge Molly Shi on November 27, 1977. He was the first Oklahoma governor to marry during his term in office.
Molly, a native of Ada, Oklahoma, and an outstanding graduate of Eastr Central University and the University of Oklahoma College of Law, became the 19th First Lady of Oklahoma.
David Boren, former Oklahoma governor, U.S. senator & OU president, has died at 83.
Boren passed away Thursday at home surrounded by family. A conservative Democrat, he was Oklahoma’s last Democratic U.S. senator & a champion for education.
📲 Read more https://t.co/fehGYBO7Nv pic.twitter.com/RoqbpyrCVF
— News 9 (@NEWS9) February 20, 2025
Her marriage to Boren was a personal milestone and a successful political partnership.
When the late attorney campaigned for the U.S. Senate in 1978, Molly served as the backbone by reviving “Boren’s Broom Brigade,” a volunteer army symbolically committed to “sweeping politics clean.”
In addition to her role as First Lady, she pursued an exemplary public service and legal career as the first woman board trustee member of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation.
Similarly, Molly’s service extended to academia when Boren became the University of Oklahoma president in 1994.
The two collectively transformed OU into one of the nation’s top public universities, with his wife leading campus beautification and building renovation.
Furthermore, her achievements earned her numerous honors, including induction into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2004.
Additional Information
- David Boren’s net value is estimated to be around $5 million before his d*ath.
- He was born to Christine (née McKown) and former U.S. representative Lyle Hagler Boren.
- Boren’s son, Dan Boren ,is married to Andrea Boren and has a daughter, Janna Lou Boren.
