The Lead.
Boden Family Offers a Hand Up to Wyandot County StudentsOne family worked hard to achieve their dreams – and support their community. Now the next generation of the Boden family is continuing their legacy with a new scholarship fund at Marion Technical College.
Humble Beginnings
Jon and Patty (Benner) Boden grew up next to each other in Wharton in Wyandot County. After Patty graduated from Riverdale High School, they married in 1975 and pursued Jon’s dream to build high performance engines. Patty Boden worked at a factory while her husband turned a condemned home into a garage.
“Dad would say, ‘You’re a Boden - you can do anything,’” said daughter Amy (Boden) Fredritz, one of the couple’s two children.
Giving: A Family Tradition
The early years were tough, but they always supported their neighbors in need.
“Any time kids would come and say, ‘I don’t have the money to go to prom,’ Dad would help,” Fredritz remembered. “Mom and Dad took in kids without supportive homes. They would just move them in and provide for them. Now we do that, too.”
“Many of the kids still call me ‘Mom,’” Patty remembered.
“People still come to me and say, ‘Your dad took me under his wing and taught me.’ One of them is now a mechanic,” Fredritz recalled.
National Notice
Boden’s Garage produced unique, national championship engines. As the business grew, Patty came on full-time to manage the books.
In the early 1980s, Jon and Patty packed up their children, Amy and Bob, into a converted bus. They traveled around the United States to show Jon’s 1955 Studebaker, named Super Stud,” which had two engines. As children, Amy and Bob were the part of the action driving Studebaker trucks. They were also the built-in pit crew.
Husband and Wife Compete in Shows
The husband-and-wife team also competed against each other on the pulling circuit for 20 years, using engines Jon built. They were among top winners in the Ohio State Tractor Pulling Association (OSTPA). Jon Boden won the National Champion of the in the 4x4 truck class for seven consecutive years and is a member of the OSTPA Hall of Fame. The Boden family was declared the Family of the Year in 2002.
Jon Boden Remembered
After decades of living his dream and raising his family, Jon was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He died in 2004 after a five-year struggle.
“The impact on the community – I don’t want to see it go away,” Fredritz said.
The Boden family is determined to continue Jon’s legacy of helping his community with the new Boden Family Scholarship Fund for Wyandot County students, including the Riverdale High School where Amy and Bob graduated, who are attending Marion Technical College. The preference is for someone majoring in engineering or small business with an automotive focus and with demonstrated financial need.
“Mom and Dad started from nothing. We want to give a little financial boost to students who are also starting from nothing but trying to build something great,” Fredritz said.
Fredritz also knows about pulling herself up. Her accounting classes at Marion Technical College and doing the accounting at Boden’s Garage along with other opportunities within the community have lead her passion to over 10 years’ experience in the financial industry, currently Amy is an independent Wealth Advisor in Upper Sandusky, Ohio at her firm ARC Private Wealth helping folks achieve their financial goals, plan for retirement and estate planning.
Legacy of Service Continues
With her success, she’s found many ways to serve the community including serving as the treasurer of the Marion Tech Foundation Board of Directors.
‘It’s a no brainer where to invest,” Fredritz said. “To give back to students and the community – I can think of no better way to honor Dad’s memory.”
New Scholarship Valued
“A community college is a great place to start,” said Mike Stuckey, director of the Marion Tech Foundation. “There are so many opportunities here. These generous donors help students get that education, next job, career or dream. With the far majority of our graduates living and working in the community, their success helps our area thrive. We value and appreciate the Boden Family’s investment in our students.”
“Jon Boden was an innovator,” said Tim Anderson, member of Marion Tech Board of Trustees. “Marion Tech is offering new in-demand programs from the Intel semi-conductor micro-certificate to the smart manufacturing degree. It’s giving students a chance to learn new skills in the classroom and the lab -just like Jon did with teens in his garage.”
To support the new fund, donors can go to the donation page and designate the Boden Family Scholarship Fund.
