Latham – Delmer “Del” Runkle, Jr., 84, of Cohoes, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday morning, October 29, 2017, with his wife by his side. Born in Cohoes on August 1, 1933, he was the only child of the late Delmer Sr. and Mary Runkle.
Del was raised in the Cohoes/Boght Corners area and grew up living on a large plot of land that has been continuously occupied by the Runkle family since their original Dutch land grant in the late 1600s. He was a 1951 graduate of Milne High School in Albany and shortly after graduation joined the US Air Force. He served in the Korean War as a member of the 5th Air Force 58 Fighter Bomber Wing. After the war ended he was stationed at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, NM. A very patriotic man, Del was very proud of his service to his country.
Once he returned home from service he began working at General Electric in Schenectady. After leaving GE he worked for North Colonie School District as a bus driver and as a grounds crew supervisor. He worked several other jobs as well, always working hard to support his family that he cared for so much. When not hard at work, Del enjoyed all things aviation. He was an expert craftsman on remote control airplanes, would enter flying competitions every year, and even owned his own full-size airplane. He was also very active in the community; he was a member of the Evening Star Masonic Lodge 75 in Latham and the Willetta Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Latham.
Del is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Laurella “Laurie” Hagy Runkle, their three children; Lou Ann (Stephen) Gardner of Saratoga Springs, Susan (Mark) Rivest of Aldie, VA, and Laura (John) Ferretti of Smithtown, NY, his five grandchildren; Andrew Gardner, Scott Runkle Gardner, Caitlin Rivest, Kirsten Rivest, and Jack Ferretti, and his two great-grandchildren; Savannah and Shane Gardner.
A funeral service will be held Friday, November 3, 2017 at 11 AM at the Bowen and Parker Bros. Funeral Home, 97 Old Loudon Rd., Latham, with interment to follow in Memory Gardens. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday evening, November 2, from 5 until 7. In lieu of flowers, donations in Del’s memory can be made to the Albany Medical Center Foundation: Dept. of Cardiology, 43 New Scotland Ave. MC 119, Albany, NY 12208.

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