Ethel Runyan Obituary

ETHEL ALLEN RUNYAN

October 2, 1931 ~ July 2, 2025



Ethel Agnes (Allen) Runyan

Our kind and loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and auntie passed away Wednesday, July 2, 2025. She was born Oct. 2, 1931, to Don and Lydia Allen at a birth home near their 99-acre farm in Proebstel, WA. She attended the Proebstel school until 1940 when she moved to Walla Walla to live with her aunt. There she attended Edison School. She returned to live in Vancouver when she was 15 and attended Shumway Jr. High. She sang in the school choir and the St. Paul's Lutheran Church choir. It was there she met her future husband, Herbert 'Bud' Runyan, who sang in both choirs as well. He presented her with a single yellow rose at Carter Park in Vancouver when he asked her out for their first date, a family picnic at Lewisville Park. She graduated from Vancouver High School in 1949. She attended Pacific Lutheran College for two years then returned to Vancouver and began nursing school at Emanuel Hospital in Portland. Bud and Ethel were married Nov. 29, 1952, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Vancouver. Ethel worked as an assistant dental hygienist and book keeper for Dr. Nelson and Dr. Campbell in Vancouver. In 1973, the family moved to Santa Monica, CA, for a year before moving to SLC, UT. She worked in several local retail stores part time and regularly traveled with Bud who worked throughout the inter mountain area. In 1990, Bud and Ethel moved to the old beach house in Ocean Park, WA. She worked part time locally before retiring. They both remained in Ocean Park for the remainder of their lives.

She loved her life on the farm, especially her kitties and spent many happy years there with her brother, Donald Allen. Bud and Ethel loved their church, the outdoors and family. She joined the Mazamas in 1960 and the family spent years throughout the west camping, hiking, backpacking, climbing NW peaks and exploring off the beaten path. She was active at St. Paul's Lutheran churches in Vancouver and Santa Monica, CA, Zion Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City and Ocean Park Lutheran Church. She also sang with Brahms Singers and Bayside Singers. She volunteered at the Willapa Bay Inter Center and the community table. Bud and Ethel enjoyed traveling, visiting Canada, Europe, South America, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and much of the United States. They loved their home at the beach and having family and friends visit, especially the grandchildren who were able to spend weeks there with grandma and grandpa.

Preceded in death by her husband, best friend and soul mate of 71 years, Herbert 'Bud' Runyan. She is survived by her children, Jeanette Caples, Cindy Runyan (Scott), Jim Runyan (Cristy), Gerry Runyan, David Runyan, Victoria Unanue (Rotary Exchange student from Argentina hosted in 1972), 16 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter and several cherished nieces and nephews.

Ethel will be remembered as a kind and loving woman. She was resilient, honest, humble, generous, adventurous, worked hard for her family and was strong in her faith. She loved her church family everywhere she went and was involved in helping others and singing at local care facilities.

Services for Ethel will be Saturday, Oct. 4, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church at 13th and Franklin in Vancouver at 11 a.m. and at Ocean Park Lutheran Church in Ocean Park, Washington, at 9:30 a.m. with an open house following both. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to either church.

"love and hugs"

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