Roy Rankin Runion

Roy R Runion, age 91, passed away on Wednesday evening, July 30, 2025.

Roy was born April 7, 1934 in a small house on what is now the TWU campus. He was the 7th of 9 children and is survived by his youngest sister, Sadie. Roy was preceded in death by Ernestine Runion, his loving wife of 58 years, and his eldest daughter Kathy Land, who grew up following her dad everywhere he went. She loved hunting, trapping, and anything to be with dad. At his death, Roy had a special partner in Dorothy Thompson. She was his first sweetheart, oh so many years ago, and they were able to reconnect and spend the last 10 years of his life enjoying each other’s company again. Roy leaves to cherish his loving memory his daughter and son-in-law, Kim and David Coleman, his only son, Eugene Runion, three grandchildren, Amanda and Bradley Duckett, Stephen Coleman and Britney West (Addelyn) and Emily Cole (Lily and Hunter), and Autumn Land, four great-grandchildren, Kara Duckett, Lily Cole, Hunter and Addelyn Coleman, and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Roy began his military career with the National Guard and the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He traveled to Fort Devins, Massachusetts when the Korean war began. While in the Army, he served as a machine gunner. To further his military career, he joined the US Air Force and was stationed in South Carolina. He went to school for hydraulic jack repair and Goodyear tire service. He served 3 years in Germany and earned accolades for the German language during his time there. He then re-enlisted and was moved to the upper peninsula of Michigan. During his last two years in the Air Force, he served as senior crew chief on the H-43B Rescue Helicopter. After being discharged as a civilian, Roy re-joined the TN National Guard and traveled the country installing fire and burglar alarms on military bases. During this time, he also qualified as a Fire Marshal. When back in McMinn County, he served our community at JM Huber, Plastic Industries, and eventually retired from Textron with 17 years’ service in maintenance. Roy had many accomplishments throughout his career, both in the military and in maintenance.

Roy leaves us with a few words of his own as he reflected on his life: “He has lived a long, good life and he enjoyed the wilderness, animals, and gardening and most of all he loved his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids.”

Services for Roy will be Tuesday, August 5. Visitation will begin at 11:00am with a funeral service to follow at 1:00pm, both at Poole Funeral Home in Etowah, TN. The burial will immediately follow at McMinn Memorial Gardens. Roy has asked that donations be made to St Jude in Memphis in lieu of flowers, please.