Dr. Marilyn (Koziura) Bombac
Dr. Marilyn Bombac, a 1959 graduate of Lorain High School, was born and raised in South Lorain and was the eldest of 11 children — six boys and five girls. She attended St. Stanislaus Elementary School and Whittier Junior High before graduating from Lorain High at just 16 years old after skipping fifth grade.
Her mother was also a Lorain High graduate and taught Marilyn the school’s alma mater before she even entered high school. Marilyn was later surprised to learn that her bookkeeping teacher, Mr. Newman, had also taught her mother years earlier. While at Lorain High, Marilyn served as a principal’s aide, teacher’s aide, and library aide. She was active in the Pep Club and was inducted into the National Honor Society.
After graduation, Marilyn worked for three years at the Kenco Pump Division of American Crucible. She later became Secretary-Librarian at Harrison Elementary School until marrying Raymond Bombac, an Admiral King High School graduate, in 1964. Marilyn and Ray shared more than 55 years of marriage.
During Ray’s 30-plus years in the United States Air Force, the family lived in many locations around the world. While Ray served in Southeast Asia, Marilyn returned to Lorain and worked at NASA. During that year, she and her sister Louise reconnected with their younger siblings through family activities such as singing, swimming at Lakeview, and spending time together in the park.
Those family gatherings eventually led to the creation of the Jo-Mares family singing group, made up of eight siblings who performed at various events and venues. Marilyn and Ray later became the proud parents of three children — Kathy, Ray, and John — and grandparents of Sarah, Anna, Lindsay, and Brett.
Marilyn earned an Associate of Science degree from Northern Virginia Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Education from George Mason University, a Master of Education from the University of Hawaii, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She also completed the Executive Leadership Development Program through the Office of the Secretary of Defense and later served on its faculty.
Dr. Bombac built an accomplished career in education, government, and business, serving in leadership positions from the Pentagon to Hawaii and Nebraska. Her roles included Personnel Staffing Specialist at the Pentagon, elementary teacher in Virginia, Assistant Principal in Florida, Director of military child development centers in Hawaii, and Director of the Leadership Institute at Strategic Command in Nebraska.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Bombac served as Nebraska President of the American Association of University Women and chaired AAUW-Omaha Tech Savvy, promoting STEM opportunities for middle school girls. Her honors include Teacher of the Year, Civilian of the Year, and the Meritorious Service Award.
Since returning to Lorain, Marilyn has remained active in the community through St. Peter’s Church, the League of Women Voters, 100 Women Who Care, and the Lorain Historical Society. Life is good!