James RUNIONS

James A. Runions Aug. 20, 1943 ~ Feb. 1, 2011 Resident of El Cerrito James Runions (Jim to those who knew him well) was born to James E. and Julia P. Runions at Richmond Hospital. He was the middle son with his brothers, Richard Davenport and William Runions on either side respectively. He grew up in Richmond while it boomed in the ship building industry during WWII & watched the city change through the late 50's, a time when he had happy memories of dragging the main down MacDonald Avenue as a teen, through the turbulent 60's, to ownership of a business within the city through the 70's and 80's and witnessed Richmond's revitalization through the 90's into the 21st century. A graduate of DeAnza High School in 1961, James served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force directly after and returned home to marry, raise a family and work in the family business his father began in 1946; Cadillac Ambulance Service, Inc. Jim worked as the ambulance industry evolved to offer increased medical services such as Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and became one of the first 10 Emergency Medical Technicians in Contra Costa County. After the death of his father, he and his wife Irene purchased the business from Jim's mother, building the business into a far greater service organization by instituting the first Paramedic program within the county. James was a proud member of the Richmond Lions Club (president for 2 years), the Elks Club, served on Richmond City Council committees, a member of the Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Care Committee, a Lifetime Member of the National Rifle Association, member of the Contra Costa and California Ambulance Associations, a board member of the once celebrated Brookside Hospital Foundation and coordinated many fundraising and public service events; a loyal pillar of the Richmond community indeed. For the sister city of San Pablo, Manzanillo, Mexico, he and his wife donated their first ambulance full of cutting edge medical supplies from their second business, Cadillac Medical Supply, Inc. James loved wood carving, wood working, furniture building, refinishing antiques, miniature wooden ship building, vegetable gardening, hunting, fishing, camping, oil painting and was blessed with a beautiful singing voice. He collected stamps, coins, beer steins, baseball cards and rare firearms. Most of all, James was a dedicated family man and raised his children, grandchildren and great-grand-children with the love of his life, his wife Irene, always by his side. James was predeceased by his father James E. Runions and his son Frank Runions and will be sorely missed by his wife Irene, his daughter Kelli Valle (Joseph), daughter Reina Park, grandchildren Rachel Valle, Samantha Valle, James Park and great-grandchildren Gregory Kinder-Valle and Melanie Simons, mother Julia Runions (98), brother, Richard Davenport (Donna), sister-in-law Masako Davenport, brother William Runions (Carla), brother-in-law Frank Arre-dondo, Jr., sister-in-law and brother-in-law Rita and Albin Esquivel, brother-in-law Robert Dees (Sharon) and many, cousins, nieces, nephews & close friends. One nephew in particular, Derek Esquivel, became a trusted & valued friend and care giver in recent years. A funeral mass will be at noon, Friday, February 11, at Saint David of Wales Catholic Church, 5641 Esmond Ave, Richmond, with funeral procession to St. Joseph Cemetery also at 2540 Church Lane, San Pablo, where the interment service will be held.