Ellsworth Quinton Runyon Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Ellsworth Quinton Runyon of Cadillac died Tuesday morning, August 16, 2011 at Green Acres Retirement Living Center in Cadillac. He was 89. Ellsworth was born on December 15, 1921, at home in rural Buckley, Michigan, the 7th child of Harry A. Runyon and Martha Hirschy Runyon. He received his high school diploma from Buckley High School and a degree in pastoral ministry from St. Paul Bible School. While at St. Paul he met his lifetime sweetheart, Edna M. Hollis. They were married on February 25, 1945, celebrating their 66th anniversary in 2011. Ellsworth received his BA in History and Language at Taylor University, and his Masters in School Administration from Michigan State University. Ellsworth was guided by his love of Scripture especially Luke 10:.27 â€œYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all of your strength, and all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.â€ This was demonstrated by his Christian walk, his love of children and their education throughout his working life. His first church was the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Spirit Lake Iowa. He served churches within the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Westland, and Greenfield, Indiana, and Traverse City, Michigan, and the Edwards Community Church near West Branch, Michigan. He served in school administration for 34 years at Winegars High School, Arenac Eastern High School, East Bay Community Schools District in Traverse City, Hart Community School District, Pine River Community School District, and Wexford Missaukee Intermediate School District. His commitment to service was exemplified by participation in Rotary, Kiwanis, and Youth for Christ. He grew up listening to Tiger baseball on the radio and was a lifelong fan. He also enjoyed meandering two track roads, hunting, growing roses, strawberries, and eating biscuits and gravy. He continually marveled at God\'s use of a â€œsimple Northern Michigan plow-boyâ€ He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Dorothy Pike, brothers, Alvin, Gerald, Lawrence, Tilman, Edward, and grandson Robert Royal II. He is survived by wife Edna, children Royal (Carole), David (Sue), Sharon Brown (Lawrence), Vonalea Swanson (Dennis), and Ruby Meekhof (Kenneth), and 15 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, the delight of his life. He is also survived by his brother John Runyon. Memorial services will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, August 20, 2011 at the Cadillac Christian Reformed Church (1110 E. Division St.) in Cadillac with Reverends Brian Seifert and Bert Vanantwerpen and Candidate (Granddaughter) Sarah Meekhof-Albers officiating. Friends may meet the family from 10:00 AM until services at the church. Ellsworth\'s final resting place will be Cornell Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be given to the Cadillac Rotary Charities (to go toward scholarships) or to the Buckley Alumni Scholarship Fund c/o Buckley Schools, P.O. Box 38, Buckley, MI 49620. An online guestbook is available at www.petersonfh.com ', '');

Ellsworth Quinton Runyon

December 15, 1921 - August 16, 2011