Pollard couple reaches travel goal

Gerald and Billie Runyon pose with a map on which they've highlighted their vacation routes. The map was a Christmas gift for Gerald from daughter Shelley and her husband Otis last year.
(photo provided)

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Their recent trip to Washington completed Mrs. Runyon's goal of seeing each state. Gerald laid claim to that distinction after their Hawaiian trip last December. The couple has also traveled in Mexico and Canada.

They left home May 25 for their trek to the Northwest and a visit with their niece and husband, attorneys Amanda and Sloan Johnson of La Conner, Wash.

In South Dakota they visited Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, then travelled through Wyoming, Montana and Idaho before leaving the Interstate at Spokane for a drive across the Cascade Mountains. They even experienced snow at some of the higher elevations.

The Johnsons provided them with a grand tour of their area. They live near Puget Sound, and the Runyons had the chance to see a yacht factory. Later they visited the Space Needle in Seattle and took a ferry ride to San Juan Island.

Instead of seeing cotton and corn crops, as the southern tourists were accustomed to, they saw large flower and vegetable farms along the way.

Their four-day journey home brought them through Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah (where they saw the Mormon Tabernacle); Vail and Denver in Colorado along with Topeka and Kansas City in Kansas. At that point they indicated that Missouri and Arkansas held a very special attraction, and they found the old saying is true that there is "no place like home."

Hawaiian Vacation

Last summer when the Runyons visited twin daughters and husbands, Shelley and Otis Warr and Kelley and Mark Lee and Grace, the kids were hoping to send their parents to Hawaii for his birthday but knew they must help Mrs. Runyon over her fear of flying. Dr. Warr took her up in his private plane, and she discovered that she really enjoyed it. With confidence that she would enjoy the flight, they made plans for the surprise for their dad.

On Dec. 3 the couple drove to Dallas and boarded a plane for the islands, where they enjoyed 80-degree weather. Their hotel was the Wyland Wakiki, and the artist Wyland was there showing his sea animal and ocean paintings. Their tour of the battleship Arizona also coincided with the 67th anniversary of its sinking. Also included on their itinerary was the Dole pineapple plantation, the Polynesian center and a luau.

Alaskan Trip

In 2003 the couple drove to Alaska and met their family there. The Lees flew to Anchorage on a commercial flight, while the Warrs came in their own plane.

En-route Gerald and Billie crossed into Canada south of Winnipeg and their drive took them across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. They entered the Alaska Highway at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and crossed the Alaska state line at Beaver Creek, Yukon.

Three days spent in Seward allowed them time to see the glaciers, go deep sea fishing and take an additional boat trip. The son-in-laws also climbed nearby Mt. Marathon.

Taking a long tunnel into Whittier, the travelers were disconcerted to share the tunnel with train traffic. Another highlight of their trip was a train ride to Danali Park, and seeing Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America.

Some of Gerald's travel began when he was in the Army during the Korean War. He took basic training and field wire school at Camp Chaffee here in Arkansas. His next assignment was at Ft. Lawton near Seattle, Wash. From there he went to Japan for processing and on to Korea. He was assigned to the 32nd Infantry Regiment, where his duties included running phone lines from regimental headquarters to the front line.

He rotated back through San Francisco to Camp Chaffee, and after a furlough was sent to Ft. Jackson, S.C., and later to Camp Rucker in Alabama, where he finished his service with the rank of corporal.

Life presently is busy for the couple, who are very active in their church at Trailer's Chapel.

They also keep their granddaughter, Grace Lee, whenever they can and visit often with Grace and her parents Mark and Kelley Lee in Memphis and their other daughter, Shelley and Otis Warr. Both Lees are Doctors of Pharmacy and the Warrs are both physicians on staff of the Baxter County General Hospital in Mt. Home, Ark.

When Gerald retired from the postal service in 1989 after 30 years as a rural carrier, Billie retired, too, from her job of giving in-home care. But, Billie's hands are seldom idle and she has won prizes at the local fair as well as the Delta and Mid-South fairs with her crochet items and crafts.

Gerald is active in the genealogy club. He also served on the Piggott School Board, where the twins attended high school. He has displayed a latent talent for writing since his retirement, and the entire family enjoys reading his stories about growing up in the Pollard community during the depression and World War II era. At present he is writing down childhood memories of Trailer's Chapel, where is a deacon, treasurer and Sunday school teacher. These recollections will likely be read during special services in July of 2010 when the church celebrates its centennial.