Gary and Marty Boman

Gary Andrew Boman was born September 17, 1949, to Eva and Roy Boman in Brainerd, Minnesota. Throughout high school and college, Gary was an athlete and served as St. Cloud State’s wrestling team co-captain. He worked as a lieutenant at the St. Cloud Reformatory for 27 years before retiring in 2004. He then came to Bowling Green Junior High, where he was a teacher’s assistant for eight years. He loved sports, fishing, and hiking. He especially enjoyed being around his family.

Gary was married to Dr. Martha “Marty” Boman, Ed.D. Marty was born October 1, 1952. After working in public education for over 14 years, she graduated in 2004 from the University of St. Thomas, with an emphasis in Special Education. She then came to WKU that fall as an associate professor in the School of Teacher Education and has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses. In 2006-2007, she worked with her colleagues writing the Post Master’s Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate.

That same year, she was named the Director of the Kelly Autism Program, which works with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their parents. Since that time the program has grown from 20 participants to over 135. The KAP Circle of Support is one of the largest programs in the nation for individuals diagnosed with ASD, with students coming from 15 states. Her research focus has included executive functioning skills, sensory rooms, bullying of individuals with ASD, and university programming for individuals with ASD. She has presented on her work at both national and international conferences and was appointed to the Statewide Advisory Council for Vocational Rehabilitation by Governor Steve Beshear in 2013.

Gary and Marty were married for 36 years before his passing June 5, 2013. They have three children, Timothy, Amy, and Jennifer.
To further give back to their community, Gary and Marty established the Gary and Marty Boman KAP Endowment Fund. This fund assists deserving WKU students in pursuing their academic goals. Through this fund, Gary and Marty continue to make a positive impact on the Hill in perpetuity.