Raymond was born in Eureka. He was always a hard worker and was always looking for ways to provide for his family. He sold Insurance, was a Newspaper reporter, a Miner, Bus driver, sprayed crickets in the desert, grocery store owner, Fruit picker, musician, apartment manager

He enjoyed baseball, boxing wrestling, car races. fish, hunt

. He told me that if you lay down to take a nap after lunch, the crickets would eat your belt and they came up onto the beach to lay their eggs.

When I was about 8 or 9 years old dad found a hardware store that was for lease in Granger, a few miles west of Salt Lake. He took up the lease from a fairly wealthy man in Granger, by the name of George Anast. The store was on 35th South, about a mile west of Redwood Road. The last time I was there the store was gone, replaced by a car paint shop.

Dad was successful in building a good business at the Granger Hardware and Appliance. Mom and I worked in the store, as did dad’s sister, my aunt Laverne Williams. He sold all kinds of hardware, plumbing supplies, and a small assortment of appliances and furniture. At the time, about 1946 or 1947, his was the only hardware store in Granger and he made relatively good money for his hard work. He gave me a corner of the store and a glass display case to sell model airplanes and supplies, which I enjoyed doing. Christmas Eve was always the busiest day of the year, and I recall one outstanding Christmas Eve when he took in about $500. At that time we lived in a three-room apartment that was attached to the back of the hardware store. I believe that grandpa Rod and grandma Pearl lived with us for a while. Later, a large builder’s supply store (North Jordan Builder’s Supply) opened up almost across the street and dad’s business declined rapidly from that time on.

After the Granger Hardware went out of business, dad opened an equipment rental shop, named “A-Ray Rents.” He put the “A” in the name to get it listed at the top of the names in the telephone directory. He rented garden machinery, tools, motor scooters, and other things. I recall that dad and mom went riding around Granger on the rental motor scooters occasionally, and mom absolutely loved it. The shop was right next door to their new home. This period of time is a bit cloudy for me because I was starting college and I really cannot remember when the Granger Hardware ended and A-Ray Rents began.
While I was still in high school, dad and mom built their own home at 2055 West 35th South. They loved their new home. Mom grew beautiful roses and other flowers. The decorative wrought-iron supports on the front porch had “Ray” and “Cleo” built in. I have good memories of the home, with its very nice gas fireplace and pine-paneled den. I can remember a lot of evenings of study for high school and college classes. After they moved to an apartment in Granger, the Highway Patrol used their home for an office; it was later demolished and no trace remains.

Dad was always dreaming up new enterprises. For example, he built a “worm ranch” in the back of the new house and bought a stock of red fishing worms. At one point he had thousands of fishing worms to sell, but then, overnight, they disappeared. I don’t think he ever knew what happened to them, but that ended the worm ranch.

s

inches.
After dad closed “A-Ray Rentals” in Granger, he took a job with Thorsen Tool Company. He and mother traveled extensively in the western U.S. (and some trips to the Midwest) selling Thorsen tools. Dad developed a van or truck in which he could display the tools to potential customers. I think he was quite successful in the work, and I know that he received at least one letter of commendation from the company. He and mother absolutely loved to travel and the tool sales job was perfect for them.

As mentioned above, dad was always a hard worker, doing whatever was necessary to make a living. He had a good way with people and I think that everyone he met liked him.

OITUARYWE
Robert R. Runnells Obituary
3/18/1925 ~ 2/22/2013
We will dearly miss our loving husband, father, brother, and grandfather, Robert R. Runnells, who passed away on February 22, 2013, just days before his 88th birthday, due to complications from a recent illness. He was born on March 18, 1925 in Eureka, Utah to Raymond DeMar and Cleo Cecil Beckstead Runnells.
Bob grew up in Eureka, Utah where he learned his value of hard work at an early age having grown up during The Great Depression. He moved to Salt Lake City at age 15 to learn the trade of upholstery. He attended West High School and finished his last year of schooling through correspondence from the U of U. Bob graduated from Tintic High School in 1942 where he was the drum major for his state award winning high school band.
He worked at S.H. Kress Company where he met his beloved Marian. On October 15, 1943, Bob married Marian Guiver at Minter Army Airfield in Bakersfield, California. They've known each other for 71 years.
Bob served his great country in World War II by becoming a pilot and pilot-instructor in the U. S. Army Air Corps from 1943-1946. After his training, he taught and flew the C-46 airplane which was the largest plane at that time in the U. S. The highlight of his military career was that he was able to fly one of the first jet planes. He really enjoyed that opportunity after "looking through props" all of his career. He remained in the Officer's Reserve Corps of the U.S. Army Air Force until 1955.
After the war, he graduated from the University of Utah with his undergraduate degree. Bob was accepted into Northwestern University School of Dentistry in Chicago, Illinois and graduated with his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S) Degree in 1951.
Bob and Marian moved back to Salt Lake City to build his dental practice. He enjoyed practicing dentistry for 15 years and building life-long relationships with friends and patients.
He was active in community affairs including Junior Chamber of Commerce, Sugarhouse Kiwanis Club, Utah Council of Churches, Salt Lake City District Dental Society, Bonneville Dental Seminar, Boy Scouts of America, International Social Service, and the Bank of Salt Lake. In 1956, he was named "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" by the Sugarhouse Junior Chamber of Commerce.
In 1965, he purchased Western Dental Supply Company and began his next successful career as a businessman. In 1971, he formed MDT Corporation, a dental-infection control company, thus leading him into the next phase of his career as an international dental infection control expert.
Bob was a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Utah Medical Center Dept. of Pathology.
In 1968, Bob moved his family to Fruit Heights, UT so Marian could have a place for her beloved horse, Sandy. His "farm" was a haven for horses, dogs, and cats. Marian and he became
experts in raising, breeding, and showing champion Saddlebred, Quarter, and Thoroughbred horses.
Bob was an accomplished author of numerous articles and books on dental infection control. He was an expert witness in the first case of transmission of AIDS to a dental patient. His expertise in this field was instrumental in the development of patient safety in the dental office.
He was a man of many passions which included Big Band music, playing the saxophone, fishing, skiing, riding 5-gaited horses, and working on "the farm". He played his saxophone in Paul Whiteman's band for one night as the band passed through Eureka, UT. He organized small bands specializing in Big Band music and performed at Assisted Living centers.
Bob was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church serving in capacities of lay minister to rural churches and other church office positions.
He is survived by his wife Marian, daughters Janet Kelley and Robyn Larkin (Rod), brother Don Runnells (Erika), foster-daughter Rosalie Reed, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A celebration of his life will be held at First United Methodist church on Tuesday, February 26th at 11:00 a.m. Friends may visit with the family prior to services from 9:45a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the Church. Following his burial, a memorial luncheon will be served. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Bob's name to First United Methodist church (203 South 200 East, Salt Lake City UT 84111-2437) or your preferred charity.
Published in Salt Lake Tribune from Feb. 24 to Feb. 25, 2013

Raymond Runnells