Jane Ann (Stratton) Runyan, age 88, of Grinnell, Iowa, died Monday evening, October 10, 2022, at Meadowlark Hills, in Manhattan, Kansas, with her family by her bedside.
Jane was raised and grew up on a farm in Maxwell, Iowa, where she met her lifelong friends Roberta and Paul Viers. She attended K-12 in Maxwell, graduating from Maxwell High School in 1952. After graduating from High School, Jane attended the Iowa State Teachers College (UNI) in Cedar Falls. Following her sophomore year Jane met and married John Avery Runyan from Collins, Iowa, on October 2, 1954.
Jane worked for WHO-Radio/TV to support her husband through college at Drake University. She dedicated herself to raising her young family, while supporting her husband as his career was being established. Together they moved multiple times beginning in Des Moines, Iowa, (1955), Gary/Valparaiso, IN (1956 to 1963), Pittsburgh, PA (1964 to 1967), Detroit, MI (1968 to 1969), Anniston, AL (1969 to 1972), Morgantown, WV (1972 to 1974), Montreal Quebec, (1974 to 1976), and then finally settling in Grinnell, Iowa, (1976).
Jane is survived by her six children: Rhonda Hudson, Grinnell, Iowa; Robin Runyan (Carol), Pennsauken, New Jersey; Ryan Runyan (Sharon), Manhattan, KS; Roberta Moore (Scott) Dallas, Georgia; Paul Runyan (Kathy) Webster City, Iowa; and Rachele Pang (Davin), Gilbert, Arizona. Jane’s youngest sister, Mary Lou Dahms, of Traer, Iowa; her 17 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her best friend Roberta Viers, son in law Marc Hudson, her brother Paul, sister Lois Seebach and brother-in-laws, Loren Seebach and Richard ‘Dick’ Dahms, and her granddaughter, Metta Runyan.
Jane worked for GTE in Grinnell, Iowa for over 19 years and retiring from the company in 1990. Following her retirement from GTE, Jane spent the next 20 years as a Sorority/Fraternity house mom at Kansas State University, Iowa State University - University of Iowa and Arizona State. During her summer breaks, she enjoyed traveling to visit her children. She loved the young students she served as a “House Mother,” which also allowed her to live close to her children and grandchildren. Jane loved her grandchildren and took great pride planning tea parties for them, playing Pinochle, singing family songs she would write herself and dressing up in costumes for Halloween.
In 1996, Jane along with her best friend, Roberta Viers and daughter Roberta were security volunteers for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia and was adopted by many of the USA Basketball players. We can’t stress this enough — Jane’s passion in life was her family and the love of her life were her 6 children, her 17 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Jane was a believer in Jesus Christ and was baptized in the United Methodist Church denomination.
Grandma Janie was loved by her family.
A visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home (422 First Street) in Maxwell. A memorial service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the Maxwell United Methodist Church (109 Maxwell Street) in Maxwell with Pastor Jerry Swanberg officiating.
Memorial contributions in memory of Jane are suggested to the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter Maxwell Iowa Alumni or Cystic Fibrosis. Contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.