Obituary for Stanley “Stan” Norris Runions
Mr. Stanley “Stan” Runions passed away on Saturday, January 13th, 2018 two days prior to his 85th birthday. Stan will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Vera; two children, Garry and Marilyn; grandchildren, Camilla, Marissa, Aaron and Bryce; and 5 great grandchildren. Stan was born on a farm at Northfield in Stormont County on January 15, 1933, he was the third son of Everard and Violet Runions. Northfield is near Cornwall, Ontario on the St. Lawrence River.
He attended East Front Public School and at a very early age learned carpentry skills, by helping a member of the Community convert his garage into apartments.
When his father became ill, the family moved to Cornwall. Stan’s first after school job was working in a Men’s Clothing Store. When he was 15 years old, his Dad died of a heart attack, so he had to quit school to help his Mother pay bills. He went to work in Cortall’s Rayon Factory as a bus boy. When his uncle got him a job in a woolen factory shredding wool he moved to Kitchener. Next job was at the Galt Towel Factory where he wove towels. This lasted 6 months. No love for this job.
Stan and a friend heard about the farmers in the west needing harvest help so they came west to join the Harvest Excursion. From July to December that year he worked on a farm at Crossfields near Calgary. That was when his love for Alberta began.
At Christmas he went back to Galt and drove taxi until 1954 when he bought a new Ford for taxi service. He and his friend Bill had to drive Ambulance as well. The next job he went to work for his brother’s construction company, plastering. This was not a favorite job. So he decided in November 1954 to join the Army, and thus was posted to Calgary where he met a good friend, Bill Pushie, who was from Nova Scotia.
Stan and Bill took their army training in Calgary and at Wainwright. During this time he refused a posting to Borden, Ontario. No more Ontario for him.
In 1956 Vera’s roommate Esther married Bill and through them Vera and Stan met. That was the beginning of a relationship that lasted more than 60 years. The wedding was in August 1957.
Vera continued teaching until Garry was born in 1960. By this time they had settled down in Calgary in their own home. Next Marilyn arrived a few years later.
In 1964 Stan was posted to Germany where we spent 3 years. He had previously moved from the Armored Corp to the Provost Corp prior to leaving so spent this time as a policeman.
After coming home to Calgary he decided he hadn’t enough to do in the Army, he was bored, so took an honourable discharge on August 22nd 1968. After this he got a job with Trotter and Morton, as an Apprentice in the Plumbing and Pipefitting Trade. Thus began his career as a Pipefitter. He worked on high rise buildings in Calgary, such as Calgary Tower, and in Gas plants all over southern Alberta and as well as in Estevan and Regina in Saskatchewan. During his career he even worked in Dawson City, Yukon. One of the jobs resulted the family moving to Medicine Hat.
His last job before retiring was at Edmonton Power Plant where he worked in the office liaising between Hitachi Company and the power plant personnel. He never learned Japanese.
He loved being busy and whether doing something for himself, woodworking or helping a neighbor. Stan was happy. He really loved his coffee “klatches” at A & W and the Strathcona Centre.
From the time he was a child he loved to fish. Even Vera was convinced to join him on trips to lakes. The favorite was Blood Indian near Youngstown. In the winter he played darts and was more than mediocre as he was on a team that won second place in a Legion Shoot for Alberta and the North-West Territories. There was even a dart board downstairs in the house. Stan even managed to get Vera to learn to play darts.
In later years he played more cards, such as euchre and cribbage to name a couple. He even had a crib board and cards at Sunnyside.
After his hospital stay of 5 ½ months, he spent the last two months of his life at Sunnyside Care Centre where he received the best of care from Dr. Hirsch, the nurses, and all the other caring staff. Everyone loved his cheerfulness and appreciative nature. Until the end Stan always had a great sense of humor. Even his “bad” jokes were much appreciated by everyone.
(Please note: flowers are gratefully declined)
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Stanley Stan Norris
Runions 1933 2018.source
Death notice for the town of: Medicine-Hat, Province: Alberta