- Date Of Birth: March 31, 1921
- Date Of Death: January 21, 2010
- State: Illinois
Charles P. Runkel, 88, of Jacksonville, IL died January 21, 2010 at his daughter’s residence in Eureka, IL.
He was born March 31, 1921 in Jacksonville; the son of Frederick William and Nora Frances Shade Runkel. He married Nelda Deatherage on December 26, 1942 in Palmyra, MO and she preceded him in death on April 10, 2009.
He is survived by two daughters, N. Denise Stafford (husband, Don) of Eureka and Janette Chaplin (husband, Paul) of Jackson, TN; four grandchildren, Nicohl Stafford of Eureka, Darrell Stafford (wife, Angie) of Flanagan, Laura Butler (husband, Lucas) of Thompsons Station, TN, and Aaron Chaplin (wife, Rebekah) of Memphis, TN; four great grandchildren, Scott, Zachary, Caleb, and Joshua; a brother, Kenneth Runkel of Jacksonville; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Alfred, Robert, and Fred Runkel.
Mr. Runkel was a graduate of Jacksonville High School and served with the US Coast Guard during WW II. He began an extensive and distinguished career in law enforcement when he joined the Jacksonville Police Department in March of 1948. He served 28 years with the Jacksonville Police Department including 17 years as the Chief of Police until his retirement in June of 1976. He additionally served on the State of Illinois Officers Training Board for 8 ½ years. He was a past president and life member of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He authored “Jacksonville, Illinois Law Enforcement 1825 – 1998”, a history of the department, and co-authored additional books which have been extensively used in officer training. He served as a member of the Illinois Law Enforcement Commission and was a former chairman of the Region 14 Law Enforcement Commission. During his career, he sought to continue his education by completing numerous courses including graduation from the FBI National Academy in Washington, DC. He often provided criminal justice lectures for Illinois and MacMurray Colleges.
A devoted mason, Mr. Runkel was a member and past master of Harmony Lodge #3 AF & AM and a member and past officer of Jacksonville Chapter #5, Jacksonville Council #3, and Hospitaller Commandery #31 Knights Templar. He was a member and former elder of Central Christian Church of Jacksonville and American Legion Post #279 of Jacksonville. He was a former member and past president of Jacksonville Rotary Club and a past president of Morgan County United Fund (now United Way). He worked with the Jacksonville Junior Police program for several years and was a volunteer with Boy Scouts. He assisted in the creation of the Morgan County Big Brother & Big Sister Association. He was a former board member of the YMCA and the Morgan County Chapter of American Red Cross. He was a co-founder of the Jacksonville Vehicle Safety Check Lane in 1955, a nationally recognized program.He was inducted into the Jacksonville Area Hall of Fame in 2008.
