Willa Runyon Huser

Willa Runyon (Sonnenreich) Huser passed away on May 12th at the age of 88. She was born in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, on June 8, 1936, to James Nelson Runyan and Laura Mae Lancaster. She spent her high school years in Clearwater, Florida, where she enjoyed acting in summer stock musical theater and modeling. As a debutante, Willa traveled to Havana, Cuba, promenading on the Malecon in fancy dresses. She graduated from Stephens College, spending a formative year in Spain as an exchange student at the University of Madrid. Willa had a lifelong love for Spanish and the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.

After college, she moved to New York City, where she married William F. Sonnenreich in 1960 and had a son, David. She obtained a master's degree in education from NYU and taught elementary school in NYC. She and Bill divorced in 1966, and she and David moved to Utah in 1970 to further her education. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Utah in 1975, having written a doctoral dissertation on "Certain Personality Characteristics and Self-Perceptions of Husbands and Wives in Traditional and Dual-Career Families."

In 1972, she married Laverne C. Huser, a pioneering river runner, author, educator, nature photographer, conservationist, birder, and outdoorsperson. In 1977, they moved to Washington State, where Willa worked for The Children's Home Society of Washington for 12 years, heading up their Auburn office. Verne's children, Heidi and Paul, became a part of the family, especially during summers spent in Jackson, Wyoming, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Issaquah, Washington.

Verne and Willa moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the late 1980s, where they lived for nearly 30 years. There, in her "little slice of Heaven," Willa enjoyed her lifelong passion for riding horses with a stable and paddocks in her backyard, and the Rio Grande Bosque trails at the end of her street. She loved the numerous dogs, cats, and guinea hens she adopted over the years.

Verne and Willa enjoyed an active social life, hosting foreign exchange students, enjoying cultural activities, and traveling. Willa fulfilled her passion for music by playing piano and fiddle, and singing in choirs. She also studied advanced Spanish literature at the University of New Mexico.

Willa was always very close to her sister Elizabeth Runyan-Lancaster, who moved from L.A. to Albuquerque to be with Willa, and her nephew Maki Tamura. She also loved her brothers James (Jesse) Runyan and Fred Runyan, both of whom predeceased her, and her grandchildren Rachel, Noelle, and Sarah-Jane.

In 2021, Verne and Willa made their last move, to senior living in Salt Lake City, to be near son David. Verne passed soon after, on November 18, 2021. David visited his mom regularly, including playing songs with his ukulele group, to which Willa enjoyed singing along. Even at the end, she loved outings to the park and getting her favorite chocolate milkshakes.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Watermelon Mountain Ranch in Albuquerque, www.wmranch.org, would be appreciated.