He was born on Sunday, January 24, 1932 in Brooklyn New York, to Donald Mark Runyon and Blanche Faye Greene. Richard, and his younger brother James, spent their childhood in Corona NY, Shelton Connecticut, and eventually Bellmore NY. Playing the trombone led to his great appreciation and passion for music that followed him all his life. He graduated from Bellmore high school in 1949. He attended Bates College in Maine and New York University where he took a variety of liberal arts, science, and business courses. While attending NYU, he worked as a draftsman for Gibbs and Cox, Inc. to help design large passenger ships, and various other ships for the U.S. Navy. Because of the Korean War, he chose to enlist into the U.S. Navy, thus beginning his remarkable service and career. He served for 25 years as a Naval Aviator and travelled to many countries including Morocco, North Africa, where he met and eventually married Dona Jean Conklin. They had three children together, Ann Churchill, Richard Everett, Jr., and Averill Conklin. He was stationed in New York, Vietnam, Guam, Spain, and Washington D.C. at the Pentagon for DCA. He earned a degree in electrical engineering at the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. In Guam, he was assigned as Commanding Officer for Airborne Early Warning Squadron VW-1, which, under his leadership, was named the top squadron in the Western Pacific. He was very proud of this. In 1966 he was assigned to the Hurricane Hunter Commission where he charted weather patterns in places such as Florida, Jamaica, and Curacao. His wife, Dona Jean Conklin, passed away on April 8th, 1975.
He met Mary Lou Ladd Smith sometime later and they were married on July 17, 1976 in Washington, DC. With that union, Lynn Marie and William Mark were welcomed to the family. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1976 and worked for the private sector for TRW Inc., SBS, and Stanford Telecommunications, Inc., where he was contracted to work with NASA at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Richard officially retired from work in 2004. He enjoyed retirement immensely. He and Mary Lou enjoyed extensive travel of the world and spending time with their family. He was a dedicated and faithful member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and contributed much support. He was a faithful servant to God. He was a fan of the Washington Redskins and Washington Nationals. In retirement, he enjoyed gardening, wine making, swimming, and walking. He lived a very long and fulfilling life, loving and supporting his family, church, and friends.
He is preceded in death by Donald Mark Runyon, Blanche Faye Greene, Herbert Boschen, Alison Greene Runyon, Dona Jean Conklin, Jordan Ashley Springer, Gabriel William Maxwell, and many other extended family members and friends.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Lou Runyon, brother James C. Runyon (Evelyn), children Ann C. Runyon, Richard E. Runyon Jr (Sandi), Averill C. Springer (Scott), Lynn M. Maxwell (Steve), William M. Smith (Elizabeth), and grandchildren Jonathan R. Springer, Christina A. Springer, Emily A. Smith, Michael W. Smith, and many nieces, nephews, family members and cherished friends.
Private services to be held
Burial at Arlington National Cemetery
In lieu of flowers: Donations to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Baileys Crossroads, Virginia, or to Doctors Without Borders.
