As successful businessman and former Lakeland city commissioner, Dean Boring will be remembered as much for his fun-loving approach to life and his cool car collecting hobby as for his legacy of community service.
Boring, 77, died on May 30, according to Heath Funeral Chapel and Crematory.
Allan Dean Boring III was born Sept. 4, 1948, to Allan Dean Boring Jr. and Grace Boring.
After Boring graduated from Lakeland Senior High School in 1966, he spent the next 55 years at Boring Business Systems working his way up the ladder to become owner and president of the 102-year-old technology business, his obituary said.
Started downtown in 1924 as Lakeland Typewriter & Supply Inc., it was founded by Frank W. Myers, who sold it to his son-in-law, Boring Jr., in 1963, a previous Ledger report said. In 1980, his son, Boring III, took over the family business.
Kathleen Munson, a former president of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, remembered his leadership in the local business community and beyond.
“He left a major legacy behind,” Munson said by phone June 8. She added, “He was 200% engaged in whatever he took on.”
He was also among the leaders involved in the development of the Bonnet Springs Park project. He and his wife, Harriet, were significant financial contributors and active supporters of the community asset.
Bonnet Springs Park is a 168-acre park with walking trails, play structures and a children’s museum that was primarily privately funded. The location is a few minutes’ walk from downtown Lakeland on the site of a former railyard.
Among other examples of his community leadership, Munson recalled that Boring led one of the few millennial celebrations in the United States that actually made a profit.
The ticketed event spanned across the entire Lakeland downtown.
A previous Ledger report said a 10-block area of downtown was fenced off Dec. 31, 1999, for the Celebrate 2000 Megabration. The event featured musical acts and ended with a 15-minute, $100,000 fireworks and laser show over Lake Mirror.
Boring proudest of his time on Lakeland Commission
Dean was humbled by and proud of his 11 years serving as a city commissioner, his obituary said.
“Dean’s popularity and reputation allowed him to run unopposed for both of his terms,” it said. “He took the responsibility very seriously and always did what he thought was best for Lakeland and its residents.”
Serving with Boring as a former city commissioner, Gow Fields said of his colleague via an email, “Dean Boring absolutely loved the Lakeland community. He cherished serving in various capacities to help the city become a better place for everyone.
“He loved and was humbled by having a chance to serve on the Lakeland City Commission,” Fields said. “He deeply honored and respected the service and work of those who came before him while remaining committed to making improvements as one generation of leadership passed the baton to the next.”
Boring first joined the commission in January 1997 to finish out the term of former Commissioner Frank O’Reilly. He was subsequently elected unopposed for two consecutive terms, deciding in 2007 not to seek re-election. He also served as a board member of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority from 2001 to 2008.
As a commissioner, he was an advocate for commercial growth and cast votes to advance developments like Lakeland Central Park and municipal land acquisitions.
The Ledger previously reported in August 2003 that he pushed for Lakeland Electric to answer to City Hall regarding its finances, not just the utility, which was losing money at the time.
“Commissioners, pushed by Dean Boring, are hiring an assistant finance director who will work at Lakeland Electric and answer to Finance Director Jerry Reynolds in City Hall, not to Lakeland Electric,” the report said. “That has caused some ruffled feathers at Lakeland Electric.”
Boring known for his work with community groups
Boring was involved in many other community programs such as The Lakeland Rotary Club, The United Way, Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland Economic Development Council, Leadership Lakeland Class 11, Goodwill Industries, The Lakeland Yacht and Country Club, among others.
He was also involved in business associations such as Copier Dealers Association, Vistage, Central Florida Business Executives Council, where he made lifelong friends.
Boring enjoyed sports: cars, motorcycles, golf and fishing
Munson recalled Boring being a “fun, cool guy.”
His hobbies included sports cars and motorcycles, his obituary said. He competed in professional motorbike road racing for several years and collected vintage sports cars, including a Ferrari 250 GT/E and Austin Heally 100M.
“The one thing that stands out is he was such a cool guy,” Munson said, recalling his love of sports cars.
He was also a Tampa Bay Bucs and Florida Gators fan, being both a charter Bucs seat holder in 1976 and a Bull Gator, his obituary said.
With friends and family, he fished off the coast of Anna Maria Island, his obituary said. He was an avid golfer, playing at Lone Palm and Grasslands, and later joined Key Royale Golf Club on Anna Maria.
He “had a lot of fun times with the guys he referred to as ‘a cast of characters,’” his obituary said.
Boring’s funeral service on June 29
Boring is survived by his wife of 33 years, Harriet Boring; his son, Allan Dean Boring IV; daughters, Margaret (Maggie) Gaa (Garrett) and Kelley Cutrell (Andrew).
His brothers are Jon Boring (Christine) and Jeff Boring (Tracy); granddaughter, Rory Gaa; grandsons, Clayton Gaa, Beau Cutrell, and Catch Cutrell; niece, Perianne (Court); great-niece, Scottie; and nephews, Jeffrey (Amanda) and Evan.
In the obituary, the family thanked the staff at Grace Manor Memory Care and nurses at VITAS Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church Lakeland, Vitas Hospice at vitascommunityconnection.org, or Alzheimer’s Association at Alzheimer’s Association.
Funeral services will be held in the sanctuary at 2 p.m. on June 29 of the First United Methodist Church, 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland,
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland business leader and former commissioner Dean Boring dies
Reporting by Paul Nutcher, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Nutcher, Lakeland Ledger | USA TODAY Network
