Obituary of Dorothy Frances Runnels

Dorothy was born on January 27, 1923, to Andrew Hildreth and Sadie Mae (Fincher) Gilland and passed away on June 17, 2020. She and Harold Runnels were married in 1943 in Dallas. They lived in Texas and Arkansas before they moved to Lovington, New Mexico in 1952 when Harold created Runnels Mud Company. Harold and Dorothy were a dynamic couple both in building the business and when Harold entered politics in 1959, serving in Santa Fe in the state senate and later in the US House of Representatives. When Harold died in 1980, Dorothy continued to be involved with community and political life. She loved to travel around the country and around the world, and she continued to fly far and drive many miles each year even into her nineties. In 1985 she found love again, and in a whirlwind courtship married Bill Clendenen. He passed away in 1990. Dorothy was preceded in death by her brother, Andy; husbands, Harold Runnels, and Bill Clendenen and her son Michael. She is survived by Michael's family—Joshua of Durham, North Carolina, and Sean, wife Jennifer and children, Julian and Sasha of Newport Beach, California; son Phillip, wife Sherry of Paris, Texas, and children Tamra, husband Todd and son Trey of Tucson, Arizona, Amanda, husband Scott and stepsons Blaze and Cody of Hendersonville, Tennessee; son Matt, wife Judy and children, Zachary, Mariah and Sinea of Silver City, New Mexico; daughter Eydie of Midland, Texas, and children Ben, wife Cassidy of Lincoln, Nebraska, twins Sam and Abby of Denton, Texas; Stepdaughter Annette Clendenen of San Angelo, Texas, stepson Dennis Clendenen of Oklahoma, step-grandson Shane Clendenen of San Angelo, Texas, plus, a host of friends and extended family. Dorothy had so many friends, and she influenced so many men and women, memories can be left at this web site and a video of the memorial services can be viewed: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/DorothyRunnels/ Because of the Covid-19 virus, a public service at Resthaven Cemetery in Lovington, NM at 10:30 a.m. for Dorothy will be held on Friday, June 26. Social distancing and masks are encouraged. More information is available at kirbysmithrogers.com Memorials may be made to the Dorothy Runnels Scholarship fund at New Mexico Junior College, or to the general fund or elevator fund at the Lea County Museum in Lovington. Condolences may be sent to www.kirbysmithrogers.com