Kenneth Runyon

1938 - 2025

Kenneth (Marsh) Runyon was born February 17, 1938, in the Bakersfield area of California, the second child of Kenneth Runyon & Lenora Dumpkey Runyon. He passed away quietly with his loving family by his side on October 27, 2025.

Marsh began his lifelong passion for vintage race motorcycles and cars as a young child, racing and riding the hills of San Luis Obispo as a child and teenager, when his family moved from Bakersfield to San Luis Obispo early in his life. When Marsh was a teenager, he was in a car accident that claimed the life of his best friend, as well as severely damaging his own leg to the extent that it would cause him pain until it was amputated 29 years later. Marsh had a need for speed and everyone who knew him well, understood this about him.

Marsh graduated high school in 1956 from San Luis Obispo High and moved to Fresno shortly thereafter. Marsh worked three jobs for several years in Fresno to support his family. He worked for Monte Miller (Monte's Motorcycles), as well as a parking lot attendant at Manchester Mall, and then he began working for his lifelong career as a road engineer and later an inspector for Caltrans where he would remain until he retired from Caltrans in his early 60's. Marsh learned the lay of the land during his career at Caltrans and knew every intersection and every inch of the roads throughout the Central Valley of California. His position at Caltrans was a means to pursue his passion of building and racing vintage motorcycles and cars. Marsh had three children whom he loved deeply, with his first wife Carolene Couchman: Cynthia Higley born in 1956, Michelle Castaneda born in 1959, and Trent Runyon born in 1964.

Marsh met his second wife of 53 years in 1972, Mary Jane Runyon, and they married in 1973. Mary Jane was a strong supporter of Marsh and his passions for racing, which included nursing him back to health from the various injuries he sustained while racing, including the amputation of his leg. Marsh rarely made excuses for his ailments or complained because he recognized this was something that could either stop him from doing what he loved or motivate him to live a life even more full than he could have ever imagined. Up until the last couple of years of Marsh's life, he always had a motorcycle or car project in his shop that would peak his interest and keep him excited and motivated each day.

Marsh was a force to be reconned with and so much of his success came from building one-of-a-kind motorcycles and cars. For so many, Marsh was truly a "larger than life" person. Marsh began his love for speed at a young age and spent most of his adult life building & racing vintage motorcycles throughout the United States. So many stories come to mind of the motorcycles that he raced, as well as the races that he was in, whether it be racing on his Knucklehead on the flat track in Peoria IL and Caruthers, CA, to racing his Harley XLR on the natural hills of Hollister, CA. Wherever there was a race, Marsh was there! Marsh had a true gift in his abilities and craftmanship when building vintage race bikes and cars, and people would often be able to pick out one of Marsh's built bikes on the roads, at races, or in museum's saying "Looks like Marsh worked on it". Marsh would spend that extra time (often so many more steps) to make his bikes and cars truly seamless and unique. As he got older his need for speed evolved from motorcycles, into vintage cars. Marsh built from scratch and/or worked on several cars that he owned (ranging from a 1923 Model T that he built as a young man, to a 1928 Ford Roadster & a 1929 Ford Roadster in his later years, to most recently a project that he didn't yet finish, a 1934 Ford). He raced his 1928 Ford Roadster from 2007-2018, and in 2009 he became the first person to drive this car 153.688 mph (broke the Bonneville Speed record in his class), and again in 2011 at El Mirage with a speed of 151.634 mph. When racing at Bonneville, Utah he mentioned that he could see the curvature of the earth as he gained speed- a memory he would never forget.

Of all the accomplishments during Marsh's life, he was most proud of his lifelong friendships which meant the world to him. Marsh was actively involved in the Fresno Motorcycle Club for much of his life, the Social Club (Sumners Friday Nights) for many years, the Fresno Pan Draggers, and ROMEO's (Retired- Old-Men-Eating-Out). Over the last few years, Marsh told all of his closest friends and family that he truly lived a great life and was able to do everything that he had ever wanted to do!

Marsh's wife of 53 years passed away shortly before him on October 8, 2025 https://www.dalyleachchapel.com/obituaries/mary-jane-runyon. Marsh is survived by sister Nancy Campbell; children Cynthia & Tim Higley, Michelle & Larry Castenada, Trent Runyon; grandchildren Keith (Brandy) Higley, Jakob (Gigi) Castenada, Mikayla Castenada, & Matthew (Celeste) Runyon; great grandchildren Payge & Kynedi Higley, Everly, Aleana, Caroline, Tavion, Emerie, Ares Tavares and Ryker Runyon; niece & nephew's Kendall (Ryan) Mouw, William (Dana) Hamilton, Cameron Carter, and Scott Campbell, and the many friends that were like family.

A Celebration of Life for Marsh & Mary Jane Runyon will be held at the Danny Ruit Flat Track Museum (309 W. Rialto Clovis, CA 93612) on Saturday April 11, 2026 at 11am. The family asks that you bring your stories to share!