GEORGIA LEE GENDRON RUNNING: WIFE, MOTHER, ARTIST
Georgia Lee Running was born on November 10th, 1923, in Brainerd, Minnesota, the youngest of the seven
living children of George Henry Gendron, Vermont born of French Canadian parentage, and his wife,
Norwegian born Andrene Sydnes.
Georgia’s father was a foreman in a boxcar factory for the Northern Pacific Railroad and her mother, at
first a busy housewife, later also became the proprietor of a successful boarding establishment after
the death of her husband.
Following high school, Georgia studied painting and drawing in a private art school in Minneapolis,
before enrolling at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN in 1942, with a major interest in sociology. That
year, she met a fellow student, Paul Running, shortly before he enlisted in the army air corps. They
were married on November 13th, 1943, in Zumbrota, MN, with Paul’s father, a Lutheran pastor,
officiating. Following their marriage, they were together at air corps training units in Minnesota
(Carleton College); North Carolina; Connecticut (Yale University’s Communication School); and Amarillo,
TX.
Georgia continued her undergraduate work at the University of Iowa Art School while Paul was serving as a
Communication Officer on Guam. She was joined there by Paul when he was separated from the service in
1946.
After 1946, Georgia and Paul lived in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and North Carolina, where
Paul taught art. In 1956, they became residents of Bowling Green, OH, where Georgia finished a B.S.
degree in Elementary Education and Paul was on the faculty of the Bowling Green State University School
of Art.
Georgia was a fifth grade teacher in the Lake Elementary Schools from 1970 to 1974, after which she
returned to BGSU for graduate study in Rehabilitation Counseling, receiving the M.S. degree in 1975.
From 1975 to 1989, she was a classified employee in the Government Documents Section of the BGSU
library, while also tutoring reading at Conneaut Elementary School.
For many years before and after her retirement, she and her husband enjoyed yearly travel in Europe,
Canada and the U.S., visiting art monuments and museums, and painting.
Georgia and Paul are the parents of Cynthia Running-Johnson (John Running-Johnson), a teacher of French
at Western Michigan University, and Christopher Running (Kay Running), a painter. Both children live in
Kalamazoo, MI. Two grandchildren, Kristoffer and Eli, live in Chicago, IL and Boston, MA. Grandchildren
Adam, Erik and Ashley live in Kalamazoo.
Georgia was preceded in death by her parents, and five siblings. A sister, Virginia (Mrs. John Popovec),
of Venice, FL, survives.
A memorial service will be held for Georgia at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kalamazoo, MI, on
Monday, January 24th, at 2 p.m. Pastor Ken Johnson will officiate. The funeral will take place at St.
Mark’s Lutheran Church in Bowling Green, OH, on Friday at 11 a.m., with Pastor Dale Schaefer
officiating. It will be preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. at St. Mark’s.
Funeral arrangements by DUNN FUNERAL HOME in Bowling Green, with Langeland Funeral Home in Kalamazoo.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Georgia’s memory to the American Red Cross.
Condolences, fond memories and photos may be shared with the family by visiting www.dunnfuneralhome.com.
