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MARIA TERESA "TERRY" Passed away on Friday, May 27, 2011. Teresa was born on January 7, 1929 in Miami, Arizona to Aurilio and Rosa Flores, one of 17 children. While attending Arizona State University in Tempe in 1950, she met Al Runyan, an Air Force cadet in pilot training, and they married on January 13, 1951, before Al left for combat in Korea. Terry and Al celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this past January. They have four children, Damon, Patricia, Coreen, and Scott. Terry raised all four children for nearly seven years by herself after husband Al was shot down over North Vietnam on his 88th combat mission in 1966. Terry next saw her husband in 1973 when he was released after having spent six years and ten months as a Prisoner of War. Terry became a well-known figure as she helped lead the national Bring Them Home Campaign to ensure the over 500 U.S. POWs would not be forgotten. Before Al's release, Terry moved her family to Albuquerque, NM to be closer to family. Terry was active in a number of community service activities, including volunteering at the Veterans Hospital, member of St. Bernadette's Catholic Church helping bring communion to shut-ins and the Rosary Makers Group. Terry and Al also traveled extensively visiting their children all over the U.S. In the mid-1980s, both Terry and Al cared for their youngest son, Scott who had become handicapped. They devoted themselves to his care until his passing in 1995. Terry's life was marked by remarkable events and she met those challenges head on. For anyone who knew Terry, she reveled in your successes and encouraged you if you had obstacles. Terry is survived by her husband of 60 years, Albert Edward Runyan, Colonel, USAF (Ret.); son, Damon Runyan (USN, Ret.) and wife, Michelle; daughter, Patricia Dickens and husband, Lee (USMC, Ret.), daughter, Coreen Carrillo and husband, Lee; grandchildren, Alan Runyan and wife, Donna, Kristine Peabody and husband, Dave, Michael Runyan, Kristen Carrillo, and Aaron Carrillo and fiance, Cindy Castenada; great-grandchildren, Valerie and Natalie Runyan, Amanda and Kyle Peabody, and one on the way. Terry's surviving family are her six brothers and sister (A.J., Raymond, Joe, Charlie, Lupe, John Richard, and Fina), who knew her as P. G. "Pretty girl". In lieu of flowers, Terry's family is requesting donations be made in her name to the Women's Hospital Intensive Care Unit on Montgomery Blvd, so that someone unable to afford it, might be able to receive the excellent care she received from her nurses on that ward, especially Lindy, Jenny, Jayne, Coreen, Dawn, and Regina. Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at French Wyoming Chapel, followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Please visit our online guestbook for Terry at www.RememberTheirStory.com FRENCH 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
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