Charles H. Runnels

Charles H. Runnels, 89, passed away Saturday, March 28, 2015. He said every day above ground is a good one and read the obituaries first to make sure his name was not in it. He was charismatic with a sharp sardonic wit and had an opinion on almost everything. He was not the least bit hesitant about sharing those opinions.

He was an avid gardener who claimed that he never planted enough tomatoes and cucumbers. He fancied himself an excellent mechanic and could start any car or boat with a screwdriver. He was a jack-of- all-trades and could repair anything with a roll of electrical tape and chewing gum. He was thrifty and never threw a screw away, saving every piece of hardware, no matter how rusty or bent, for future projects. He never hired anyone to do house repairs, carpentry or painting, preferring to attempt the work himself. His projects frequently took years to complete and they were occasionally imperfect–a fact that drove our sainted mother crazy.

Charlie loved vintage cars and driving with or without a destination. He was a man of discerning taste; he preferred Hawaiian shirts, anything in the color red, plaids and the “Rat Pack”. After he retired, among his many hobbies were grocery shopping and cooking. He had a taste for the exotic and was infamous for his homemade eggnog that was illegal in some counties, and fruitcakes that seemed to weigh twenty pounds. Among his good works and the thing he loved the most was his volunteer work at Point of View Elementary School for seven years, where he also participated in the mentoring program for at-risk children and was named the school’s volunteer of the year.

Charlie is preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Antoinette (Terry) Runnels. Charlie was the youngest of eight children, who as a young man traveled the world with the United States Merchant Marine. He later worked for and retired from Hartz Mountain. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Charlie is survived by four daughters; Evelyn Whitehurst and husband Richard of Augusta, Georgia, Charlotte Burke and husband Lynn of Chesapeake, Patricia (Louie) McIver and husband Joe of Virginia Beach and Jennie Runnels and husband Bill Smith of Richmond.

Also surviving are five grandchildren: Christine Martin of Chesapeake, Nick McIver of Virginia Beach, Joe McIver of the Miami, Fla., area, Ken Laber of Virginia Beach and Brandy Hicar of Sarasota, Fla., and eight great-grandchildren. Our family is comforted that he joins our mother in the next life, feels his loss keenly.

Recently, Charlie lived in the community of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he would spin tunes with friends, including Sinatra, Martin and Big Band Swing. You could find him by following the sound of “Fly Me To The Moon” reverberating down the hall. The family is most grateful for the loving care from the staff. Charlie was a great soul of generous and indomitable spirit that inspired everyone he met.

In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to Resident Activities Department at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 4560 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.