Lawrence Wayne Runion

Birth: May 31, 1927 | Died: July 3, 2024

Lawrence W. Runion, 97, of Anaheim, CA, passed away on July 3, 2024 at his home.

Visitation will be 4:00pm – 7:00pm Thursday, July 11, 2024 at Hilgenfeld Mortuary 120 E. Broadway, Anaheim, CA 92805.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00am July 12, 2024 at the Anaheim United Methodist Church, 1000 S. St. College Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92806 with Pastor Jessica Strysko officiating.

Larry was born in Upland, Indiana to Louis and Bernice Runion on May 31, 1927. He was a graduate of Lake Park High School, and Morningside College where he majored in Religious Studies. He met his wife, Evelyn, at Tremble Methodist Church in Sioux City, Iowa while he was a Student Pastor at Whiting Methodist Church, south of Sioux City.

Larry and Evelyn were married June 6, 1948. They moved to Evanston, Illinois where he attended Garret Bible College at Northwestern. He worked as an office supply salesman until he was drafted into the US Marines in 1952. He served all of 5 weeks at MCRD San Diego. He was honorably discharged due to a knee injury that he had originally suffered while working on his Uncle Keith’s farm in Iowa. He returned to Sioux City and began working for Iowa Public Service in the accounting department, where he had the opportunity to work on a "new" thing called an IBM Computer. In 1959 he was hired by the City of Sioux City as the Chief of the Data Processing Division. In 1961, he heard the call to move west, back to California where he had enjoyed such wonderful weather. In searching the want ads, he came across a job offering in Anaheim. He interviewed, along with a few hundred other applicants. He was offered the job and moved his family here to Anaheim in 1961, where he spent the next 26 years in various positions from Tab System Supervisor to Data Processing Manager and finally as a Senior Systems Analyst. He was instrumental in bringing Anaheim into the computer age by bringing the first mainframe computer to the city in 1962. IBM must have loved him, the 1440, next the 360, and eventually setting up a system of data terminals that used the computer power that Anaheim and MDS had developed to help 15 other cities around southern California do their billing and payroll. It saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, and all of this in the 70s, years ahead of the internet, laptops and cell phones.

Larry and Evelyn were dedicated to a life of service at their beloved church, AUMC, where they served on many committees and lay positions. They enjoyed serving behind the scenes in several ministries including Sunday School, Boy Scouts, Men’s and Women’s clubs, the Church Bazaar and, most dear to them, the Prayer Shawl ministry.

After his retirement, Larry took up woodworking, crafting exquisite Rocking Horses, Manger Scenes, Spool Beds, Christmas Reindeer and countless other items that sold at the church bazaar or were given as gifts.

Larry is preceded in death by his dear wife, Evelyn, and sister, Lucille Hansen.

Larry is survived by his younger sister, Joyce Chase and by his two sons and their wives: John & Mary and Bill & Christie, and 5 grandsons and their wives: Tim & Alison, Michael & Amy, Andrew & Katie, Mitchell & Goli, and Wesley & Ally. He leaves a great legacy for his 7 Great Grandchildren, with one more baby on the way.

In lieu of flowers please consider a gift to the Lawerence Runion memorial fund, care of AUMC.