Myra Runyan

Myra Runyan 1938- Myra Monfort Runyan passed away on August 2, 2025, in her home in Fort Collins, Colorado. She was 87 years old. A retired lawyer, philanthropist, artist, and interior decorator, she led a distinguished public life in her legal profession, was a talented painter and pianist, and was particularly dedicated to an extraordinarily active and generous lifetime of support of a variety of charitable, educational, and civic enterprises.

From her childhood in Brooklyn, New York, she dedicated herself to working assiduously to achieve the utmost with her talents through hard work and application. She was the daughter of Jewish immigrant families from Eastern Europe. Her father, Beneian Veretilny (later changed to Ben Cohen) landed on Ellis Island with his siblings and mother from Odessa, Ukraine in 1913; her maternal grandparents had emigrated from Latvia in the late 1880s.

As a young girl, she attended Erasmus Hall High School in Flatbush, Brooklyn, one of the oldest high schools in America, as well as one of the most academically distinguished in New York City. She was a leader from the beginning, serving as editor of the school newspaper and the math magazine, and graduating Salutatorian and "Most Likely to Succeed" in a class of over 1,200 members. Awarded a New York State Regents Scholarship, she attended Barnard College, the adjunct college for women of Columbia University, where she majored in philosophy and was graduated in 1960 cum laude.

Moving with her first husband, Lynn Ellins and her children to Lafayette, Colorado in 1971, she attended the University of Colorado Law School, receiving her Juris Doctor degree in 1975, one of the earlier women to receive a law degree from that institution. As a student, she was recognized with an American Jurisprudence Award; she was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1976 and clerked at the Colorado Court of Appeals in Denver. Her legal research skills in the latter position were widely admired. In 1977, she was hired as an attorney for the large packing firm of Monfort of Colorado, ultimately serving as Chief Legal Counsel for the Fortune 500 Company. The latter was a signal accomplishment for a female lawyer at the time.

After the end of her first marriage, she eventually married Kenneth Monfort, and remained with the company - living in Greeley, Colorado - until they both retired in 1989 and moved to Sarasota, Florida. There, the couple engaged in a busy life of civic volunteerism and philanthropy until Mr. Monfort's death in 2001 after a long illness. During his decline, Myra was extraordinarily dedicated to caring for him, and moved to Cleveland, Ohio to be near the hospital where he was treated for long months.

In 2003, she was married to William Runyan, of Fort Collins, Colorado, a retired college music teacher, and she left her home in Florida to live with him in Fort Collins. There, she came out of retirement, and reinvented herself as a water lawyer. She enjoyed driving into the mountains to meet ranchers and walk the ditches. In Fort Collins, she continued to exercise her considerable talent as an artist, and actively studied piano. After a visit to Kentucky with her husband, she purchased the first of many mares and a champion stud, and opened a breeding farm, Highland Farms, in Fort Collins for gaited Kentucky Mountain Horses. Her steeds won many ribbons at horse shows in the Bluegrass State. Resuming her many activities as a philanthropist, she worked through her foundation, the Kenneth and Myra Monfort Charitable Foundation. Her interests and activities in civic support were many - during both her time in Florida and in Colorado. She gave generously to the Boys and Girls Clubs in both states, helping to build facilities and support programs. She supported ocean research at the Mote Marine Laboratory. Her foundation gave to food banks and various humane societies. The performing arts benefited from her interest, especially the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the Greeley Philharmonic, the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, and the Longmont Symphony. Support for higher education was a major interest, and she gave generously to the University of Colorado, the University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University, the Eastman School of Music, Barnard College, the Ringling School of the Arts in Sarasota, and others. Of particular note in her work in education were her gifts to support facilities of the University of Colorado Law School, her central gift to establish an endowed professorship of philosophy at Colorado State, and her service on the governing boards of the Eastman School Music, Barnard College, the Ringling School of the Arts, and the Community Colleges of Colorado. She served on myriad other philanthropic boards of symphonies, museums, and other charitable and scientific organizations. A particular interest of hers was Rotary Clubs International-she was president of her club in Florida, and initiated and funded programs of the club there and in Colorado.

Myra Harriet Cohen was born on July the Fourth, 1938 in Newark, New Jersey. The family moved when she was an infant to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. Her father was a shoe salesman in Manhattan. Her father's brother, Charles, was killed in WWII. Her career was immeasurably supported by her Aunt Sally and Uncle Herman Schwartz. After college and marriage, she lived in Hempstead, Long Island, New York before moving to Colorado.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. William Runyan of Fort Collins, Colorado, her son, Bradley (Tonya) Ellins of Greeley, Colorado, and her daughter, Rachel Ellins (Joseph) Iozzia of Longmont, Colorado. Surviving grandchildren are Justin Ellins, Sarah Ellins, Amanda Iozzia, and great-grandchild, Hudson Ellins. She is survived by stepchildren, Richard Monfort, Kyle Futo, and Charles Monfort, as well as stepchildren, David Runyan, Jonathan Runyan, and Allison Ahlm, and many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren in Fort Collins, Denver, New York, and beyond.

She was predeceased by her parents, Ben and Alice Cohen, her sister, Norma Raymond, her first husband, Lynn Ellins, her second husband, Kenneth Monfort, and her stepdaughter, Kaye Monfort.

While modest and never desirous of praise, the awards, citations, and recognition that flowed to her like a river during her long life had little value for her compared to the deep satisfaction she took in her work for society. She saw her personal resources as a gift to her that without question should be passed on to the benefit of others less fortunate. She was talented, intelligent, gracious, articulate, pretty - and always stylish! But those inherent virtues pale before the essence of her being: love for her family, commitment to the betterment of society, and a deep, personal generosity to others and every virtuous cause. She was an accomplished, beloved and noble woman.

A memorial service will be held in Fort Collins on Sunday, September 21, 2025 at the Fort Collins Country Club at 2:00 o'clock. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Big Bones Canine Rescue (bigbonescaninerescue.com).