On June 8th, 2023, Timothy A. Runyon, of Ozan Ark., formerly of Carlsbad, N.M. and Tallula, Ill., passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Tim is survived by his wife, Gail A. Runyon, also of Ozan, son Ben (wife Diana) of Ozan, two grandchildren (Briar and Rosalyn), step-daughter Kimberly Urish of Denver Colo., sister Diana Calvetti of Normal, Ill., brother Jeff (wife Jan) of Carlsbad, N.M., and sister Jeanne Lee of Petersburg, Ill.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Marietta Runyon of Green Valley, Ill., where Tim was born and raised.
As a young boy and man, 6 foot 4 inch Tim played basketball, extending into his early college years before heading out to the job market. Later, Tim returned to school to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois Springfield. Tim then worked for over 30 years for the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety (now a Division of Emergency Management), retiring in 2012. His knack for people management and organizational leadership led to his time as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy, working initially for the Office of Nuclear Energy, before moving to support the DOE Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) Carlsbad Field Office at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in 2014. In addition, Tim was a 10-year member of EM’s Environmental Management Advisory Board, working with other subject matter experts from around the country on issues impacting DOE’s environmental cleanup projects across the complex.
Outside of work, Tim enjoyed craftsmanship and spent time building his own home with the help of his father. Later, he designed the home that his son Ben now resides in with his family. Tim was a talented musician, playing a variety of instruments including the fiddle, mandolin and guitar. He could sing harmony and regularly enjoyed playing alongside his brother Jeff. Outside of music, Tim loved horses, helping and watching his son learn to ride and train horses and compete in calf roping and team roping. Another favorite pastime was discussing the business of the cattle ranch (Runyon Cattle Company) with his son, a legacy that Tim was proud to have helped establish. Tim never met a stranger and built strong interpersonal relationships. He had a wide network of great friends and much enjoyed social gatherings.
Following his retirement from DOE in September of 2023 Tim moved to Ozan, Ark., to help out on the ranch and spend time with family and friends. During this time, he took special delight in watching his grandson and granddaughter grow and play and enjoyed many meals together.
A celebration of life gathering will be planned for a July 1st at 10:00 in the morning at Latimer Funeral Home, 115 E Hempstead St, Nashville, Ark., with fellowship afterwards.
