Richard “Dick” Runnels Sr.

Richard “Dick” Runnels Sr.

A much-loved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Dick Runnels, age 84, of Omaha Nebraska passed away peacefully on March 15, 2025.  He bravely confronted and fought prostate cancer. He was born May 25, 1940, in Minneapolis, and has resided in Omaha for the past 55 years, having moved from Minneapolis with his wife and three young children to take an Engineering position with the Western Electric Company in 1970.   He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1958 having served a year in the Navy Reserves. He shipped out to Memphis TN for his aviation electronics technician training, then to Patuxent River Maryland, where he tested anti-submarine sonar devices.  He returned home in 1961 and served two more years in the Navy reserved. He was honorably discharged on his birthday in 1963.

While in the Navy he wrote frequently to Bonita ‘Bonnie’ Rae Tellock.  In 1962 they were reunited and married and had three very adorable children, Richard Ross, Desiree Faith and Melissa Marie, also known as Dickie, Deedee and Mitzi. In 1966, he won a $1000 award for a manufacturing improvement idea at Honeywell Corp and promptly quit his job to start college on the GI Bill.  He graduated in 1970 with a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota becoming the first in his known family history to obtain a college degree.  At Western Electric/AT&T he was promoted to Senior Engineer and eventually to Plant and Factory department manager and retired from AT&T in 1996 at age 55.

In 1982 he married Shirley Jane Purvis and inherited another beautiful daughter, Jamie Rose Purvis.  In retirement he earned a Horticulture Sciences degree from UNL and started a one-man landscaping company doing landscape design and maintenance work.  He and Shirley had a passion for outdoor spaces, trees and plants.  They had a beautifully landscaped backyard that was their labor of love and was twice featured on the Omaha Garden Walk.  They were married 38 years before her passing from Leukemia in 2020.

He was devout in his faith, attending St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, he volunteered at the UNL Extension office giving advice to gardeners and concerned grass growers at the farmer’s markets in town and he was the Adjutant at his VFW Post.

He is survived by his children Richard Ross Runnels Jr of Omaha, Desiree Faith Freidrich of Maryland Heights, MO, Melissa ‘Mitzi’ Marie and husband Robert ‘Bob’ Chester Micek of Blue Springs MO, Jamie Rose and husband Doug David Bourn of Omaha; his first wife, Bonita ‘Bonnie’ Rae Runnels of Blue Springs MO; his cousin Sharon Marie Storholm of Zumbrota MN; his dear friend Sharon Maria Cooper; his sisters Terri Lee and husband Brian David Minock of West Fork AK, Sharon Kay and husband Tony Michael Joy of Spencer IA, Chris Knud Christensen of Spencer IA and Larry Albert and his wife Valerie Jeannette Christensen of Lakeland FL; his grandchildren, Kailey Marie and husband Riley Josiah Bonneson of Rosemary Beach FL, Burkley Chester and wife Gracen Alenea Micek of Blue Springs Mo, Harrison Stafford, wife Anna Marie and great-grandson Matthew Ross Runnels of Omaha, Grant Jamieson Runnels and soon to be wife Stacy Amber DeYoung of Kansas City MO, Tyler Richard Runnels of Omaha, Adam Robert Runnels of Fort Moore GA, Gracie Anne McGee Luviano with great-grandchildren Angel ‘AJ’ Giovanni Luviano Jr. and Serenity Faith Austin of Saint Charles MO, Sadie Johanna and husband Cory James McKiel, Celia Pearl Friedrich, Colton Ross Friedrich and significant other Bitsy Anne Harmon and his yet to be born (due date June 15th) great-granddaughter Juniper Renee Friedrich AND Isabel Friedrich, all the later of Maryland Heights MO.

He is also survived by another love of his life, Molly Rose, he and Shirley’s Yorkshire Terrier/Silky Terrier mix.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Shirley Jane Runnels, his father Robert ‘Bob’ Ellery Runnels, his mother Viola Mae Runnels, his aunt Isadora ‘Tootie’ Coonrod, his brother Robert Thomas ‘Tommy’ Runnels, his cousin Donald ‘Donny’ Stafford Storholm, his sister Becky Runnels.

A celebration of life will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 pm on Sunday, March 23rd at the VFW Post 2503 at 8904 Military Road in Omaha.  All are welcome.

Private burial services with the family will be held at the Omaha National Cemetery on Monday morning, March 24th. Any memorial gifts should be directed to the VFW Post 2503 or the UNL Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, Ne 68124. (402)-391-3900. www.heafeyheafey.com