Hall of Flame’s long-time volunteer reflects on a lifetime of service

At 90, Gary Bohling is the senior volunteer at the Hall of Flame Fire Museum — and perhaps the only one who’s ever been mistaken for St. Peter.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Bohling has devoted much of his life to public safety, emergency medicine and fire service. From volunteering with the Red Cross in college to leading plant safety teams and serving as a fire chief, his resume reads like a history of American emergency services.

Bohling studied business administration at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, in the 1950s. While there, he joined the local volunteer rescue squad and became one of New York state’s first certified emergency medical technicians in 1962.

His early experience with emergency response would shape his professional path. While working as an accountant at Chevrolet’s Tonawanda Engine Plant, he was tapped to train foremen in first aid following a string of medical incidents. That led to his involvement in the plant's fire brigade and later to safety director roles with Allied Chemical in Buffalo and CWC Foundry in Muskegon, Michigan.

Settling in Whitehall, Michigan, Bohling became deeply involved in the local emergency services. He joined the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department and the White Lake Ambulance Authority, eventually rising to fire chief by 1981. Two years later, he earned his paramedic certification and began teaching fire, EMS and hazardous materials courses at Muskegon Community College.

Bohling and his wife, Gail — married since 1960 — relocated to Phoenix in 1997 following his retirement. But retirement didn’t slow him down. He served more than a decade on the Phoenix Fire Department’s crisis response team, retiring again at age 80.

Even then, Bohling wasn’t ready to step away. Around 2002, he began volunteering as a docent at the Hall of Flame, where he continues to lead tours and engage with visitors from around the world.

“During my service as a docent,” Bohling said, “I have met people from all 50 states and about a dozen different countries.”

The Bohling family are also avid travelers, having visited destinations such as Turkey, Morocco, Italy and Tahiti.

Asked to reflect on a favorite memory from his years in public service, Bohling recalled a moment from around 1980 while working a paramedic shift in Montague, Michigan.

He had just revived a man in cardiac arrest at a VFW Hall when the patient opened his eyes, stared at Bohling and asked, “Are you St. Peter?”

“I assured him he was still alive,” Bohling said with a smile.

The man, named Lloyd, made a full recovery — and, for years afterward, continued to call Bohling “St. Peter.”

As one of the Hall of Flame’s most dedicated volunteers, Bohling continues to serve the public — just in a quieter, more educational way.

To learn more about the Hall of Flame Museum, visit hallofflame.org.

Editor’s Note: In the June print edition of the CITYSunTimes, Bohling’s age was incorrectly listed as 85. He is actually 90. We apologize for the error.