Evelyn Runkle

Evelyn Runkle, age 92 of St. Peter, died Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 2, 2011 at First Lutheran Church with Rev. Alan Bray officiating. Burial will be in Kasota Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be held 4-7, Sunday, May 1, 2011 at First Lutheran Church and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. St. Peter Funeral Home-Klein Chapel assisted the family. Memorials may be given in Evelyn Runkle's name to Will-Power Cancer Research Fund under Dr. Modiano Oncology Research Fund (2001). http://www.cvm.umn.edu/accr/

Evelyn was born December 10, 1918 to Petter Magnus and Maren Kristina Rasmina (Nilsdotter) Svensson at the family's home in Kasota, Minnesota. Evelyn was the youngest of ten children. She was confirmed at the First Lutheran Church in St. Peter in 1932. She went to Kasota grade school and high school. Evelyn graduated as the class salutatorian in 1936. In 1938, she graduated from Mankato Business College. Evelyn was the assistant city clerk for Mankato as her first job and had also worked in St. Peter in the Nicollet County Conservation Office. On June 10, 1942, Evelyn was united in marriage to Leo Runkle in St. Peter. They were blessed with two sons, David Leo and Dale Clair. She worked at and managed NuWay Cleaners for 55 years until retiring in 1994. Evelyn always received compliments on detailed and extra tailoring services from customers. She was active in church, taught third grade Sunday School, was in the church circle, made numerous friends within the church, and enjoyed her coffee time with friends. Evelyn was also a Cub Scout den mother for Troup 58 in St. Peter. She enjoyed tennis, softball, walking, and loved her Swedish heritage and her family.

Evelyn is survived by her two sons: David (LuAnn) Runkle and Dale (Debbie) Runkle; two grandchildren: Kirsten and Stephen Runkle; brother-in-law, Harvey Menk and family of Mankato; sister-in-law, Dorothy Tonn and family from St. Paul and many St. Peter and surrounding area friends.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Leo in 1997; five brothers: Linus and John Svensson (born in Sweden) and Carl, Clifford, and Leighton Swenson (born in Minnesota); and four sisters: Adla Svensson (born in Sweden), Signe, Lillian, and Vendla Swenson (born in Minnesota).