Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

March 4, 2024

Irma Lois Jayne Runge, age 97, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 4, 2024, in Charlotte. She was born in Nokomis, IL, on April 30, 1926, to Jesse Addison Jayne and Augusta Vicotria Jayne. Irma had two siblings, Augusta Mae Jayne Carroll and Jesse Andrew Jayne. The family moved to Asheville NC during the Great Depression which Irma considered a blessing as she, her sister, and brother found Asheville a wonderful place to grow up, especially hiking and biking in the surrounding mountains throughout their youth.

In 1944, Irmas’ church, Immanuel Lutheran of Asheville, called a new pastor, the Rev. Edgar G. Runge, who was a single father of an infant son, Richard. Irma told the story of her falling in love with the pastor, and his son, whose home was two doors away. Rev. Runge was very busy with both his new congregation and with service as Chaplain to German officers held as prisoners of war in Hendersonville, NC. Fortunately for everyone, Irma, her parents, and siblings provided childcare for Richard in their home, permanently cementing the bond between the families. Irma and Ed were married on August 14, 1945, at Immanuel Lutheran. Ten months later, their daughter Mary Jayne was born, followed by Edgar Gustave Jr. (Skip) in 1950 and Jeffrey William in 1955.

The family moved to Charlotte’s Wesley Heights neighborhood in 1950, where Ed was called to serve as pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church. Together Ed and Irma worked to execute the move of the growing church to its current East Charlotte location on Shenandoah Avenue in 1956. Irma had great memories of the 1950s in Charlotte as a busy mother of four, including the opening of the Charlotte Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, and Merchandise Mart near the family home, her favorite restaurant, The Oriental, at the corner of Trade and Tryon, and her winning a new red 1962 Corvair in a drawing at the Grand Opening of Clark’s department store on Independence Blvd.

During that same week in 1962, Irma and Ed moved the family to Charleston SC where Ed had been called to serve a small mission church, Calvary Lutheran, which quickly grew and moved to its current site in “West Ashley.” With the children old enough, Irma entered the workforce in Charleston in the retail business. She discovered that she had a knack for sales, which was not surprising since she was extremely outgoing, cared deeply for people, and never forgot any detail she ever learned about anyone. She started by selling educational books up and down the SC coast, from Charleston to Myrtle Beach, with cases of books packed into the back seat of her Corvair. She eventually settled into work at an upscale clothier on Charleston’s King Street, the retail hub of the city. She spent over 20 years with Lesser-Tanenbaum, which became her extended family, and where she developed an extensive network of friends and business acquaintances. With the unusual Runge surname, her children grew up with the common refrain of “Oh, you must be Irma’s…” when they were introduced almost anywhere in Charleston.

After Ed’s retirement from Calvary Church, Irma and Ed moved to Sullivan’s Island where Irma enjoyed working at Wild Dunes, in the golf shop and in the post office, and ultimately operating a concierge service business for resort property owners. Many of her clients became dear friends with whom she remained in contact for decades.

Irma and Ed moved to Oviedo, FL, in 1996, where Ed passed away in 2002 of Alzheimer’s, with Irma as his sole caregiver throughout his illness. Irma returned to the Charleston area in 2007 to Mt. Pleasant. Even with the difficulty of relocating at age 81, she enjoyed rekindling old relationships and making new ones. Of particular importance to her was the work she found with Alzheimer’s patients, volunteering weekly for 12 years providing daily activities for her “clients” and needed respite for their families. She was honored for her steadfast commitment by the Alzheimer’s Association of Charleston.

Irma returned to Charlotte in 2021 to Merrywood retirement community where she had ready access to needed specialty medical care and a large supply of family to help her negotiate her 90s. Irma was grateful for the expertise of Levine Cancer Center and the support of her Charlotte family, two sons, daughters -in-law, three Charlotte grandchildren and their families of great grandchildren who loved their “GG.” She was a diehard Panthers fan who never missed a game, even writing a letter imploring them to win some games before she passed away. She was thrilled when Panthers paid a visit to Merrywood and later a field trip to the stadium, proudly sporting her #1 jersey.

Irma will be remembered as a loving and outgoing lady who warmed those around her over for all of her 97 years with her smile and laughter. She often wondered aloud why God left her on this earth so long, and she decided the purpose was for her to bring joy and encouragement to others. That seemed like a natural task, as she never met a stranger and was unfailingly optimistic, living a faith-filled life as a devoted Christian. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Charlotte.

Irma is survived by her four children, on whom she and Ed impressed the importance of living lives of service – Richard as a Lutheran pastor, Mary as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Edgar Jr. (Skip) as a mental health professional, and Jeff, as a physician. Irma adored her eight grandchildren, Christopher Runge (Concord, NC), Eric Runge (Charlotte), Timothy Runge (Indiana, PA), Jennifer Jacob (Seattle), Elizabeth Jacob-Files (Seattle), Jacob Addison Runge (1990-2018), Emily Bast (Charlotte) and William Runge (Brooklyn, NY), her thirteen great-grandchildren, her devoted nieces Vicki Jayne and Ruth Ann Bowen, children of her departed siblings, and her great nephew George Bowen. In her final days, she was surrounded by the presence of a large loving family, and nothing could have made her happier.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, April 27, 2024 at Grace Lutheran Church, 338 Ocean Shore Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida. Irma’s ashes will be interred at Grace Lutheran Church alongside her life partner, Ed, as they are reunited in Paradise.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28204 (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.