Item UCCBC 0818 - It's God's Country

The Rev. Dr. Francis (Frank) Edwin Runnalls was born on November 9, 1895, and was raised a Presbyterian in the farming community of Mt. Brydges, Ontario. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a B.A. in 1917, and from Knox Theological College (Toronto) in 1921 with a Bachelor of Divinity. After ordination, he was sent to the railway towns of McBride and Lucerne, BC. He married Nellie Oliver, Sunday school teacher and daughter of Premier John Oliver, in Victoria, 1923. Runnalls also served the Church at Grand Forks (1923-1926), during which time he joined the newly formed United Church of Canada; Riverview (1926-1932) and Cedar Cottage (1932-1941) in Vancouver; Knox in Prince George (1941-1946); Armstrong (1946-1953); South Arm-Steveston in Richmond (1953-1962); and Steveston (1962-1964).

Frank Runnalls held several offices in the wider church, including Secretary then Chair of Vancouver Presbytery, Chair of Kamloops-Okanagan Presbytery, and President of BC Conference. He received an honorary doctorate from Union College in 1952. Always keen on history, he also served informally as Conference Archivist in the mid- to late 1960s. His published works include It's God's Country (1974) and Memoirs and Reflections (1999). He retired in 1964 to the White Rock/Surrey area. Frank Runnalls died on June 2, 1990.