Allen Brent Runolfson

November 28, 1943 - January 5, 2022

Allen Brent Runolfson, 78, passed away at his home on January 5, 2022. He was born November 28, 1943, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to Kenneth L. Runolfson and Alice Barton Runolfson. Al was blessed to receive a liver transplant on March 15, 2002 and enjoyed an additional twenty years that he would not have otherwise had. He and his family are appreciative to the donor and the donor’s family for their act of kindness. His family is also grateful to the many healthcare providers who have cared for him through his health challenges the past several years. Al’s father, Kenneth, passed away in 1956 when Al was just twelve years old. This created great hardship for his family. Al got a job as a young age at Christensen’s Department store and earned money to help support his family. He saved enough money to buy his first gun, a 410 shotgun. His neighbor, Harold Simonson, treated Al like his own son. Harold took Al rabbit hunting and including him in many family activities. Al’s love of hunting and guns continued as he grew older. He loved deer hunting and shot several large buck mule deer in First Water near Price, Utah. As he got older, his aim seemed to get worse—probably because he realized a successful hunt was just spending time with his boys and not bagging a deer. Ben Winter, another neighbor, also served as a father figure for Al and taught him the importance of hard work. He had Al work with him in the Winter’s orchard in Payson where they harvested fruits that Ben would give to the family to store for the winter. Al graduated in the Class of 1962 from Spanish Fork High and then served in the Paris, France Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from January of 1963 to July of 1965. He married Helen Jensen May 25, 1968, in the Manti Temple. He also served at Fort Ord as a Paymaster in the US Army during the Vietnam era. While serving at Ford Ord, Al and Helen had their first child, Kelly Brent Runolfson. He passed away when he was only 3 days old. The passing of his father, Kenneth, and his son, Kelly, left a large hole in Al’s life that continued to impact him until his death. What a glorious reunion it was for him to greet his father, whom he had not seen in nearly seventy years, his mother, and his son Kelly last Wednesday. Al and Helen were blessed with six additional children, three sons and three daughters. He found great pleasure in teasing the kids and making up funny stories to make them laugh. He also had a funny, yet endearing, nickname for each of his kids. After completing his military service, “Honest Al”, as he would be known, started his career as a car salesman at Jack Gridley Chevrolet. He worked as a car salesman for 40 years and was proud to build a large clientele, many of whom were repeat clients, because they know he would give them a fair price and would be honest in his dealings. He sold many car brands in his career, but particularly loved Cadillacs and GMC and Chevrolet trucks. Al was influenced by many good men in his teenage years and gave back by serving in the Boy Scouts of America and in the Aaronic Priesthood Quorums of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was important to Al that the scouts complete merit badges and advance in rank in the times required by the Boy Scouts and ultimately receive their Eagle Scout. He was interested in building men who would grow up to be good husbands and fathers. When his troops attended district campouts, he wasn’t interested in winning awards for the competitions during the campouts. He wanted his troops to be recognized for having the cleanest, most organized camp. Al always left these young men better than he found them. He was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Boy Scouts of America, the highest honor an adult leader can receive. Al had a keen sense of style that he inherited from his dad and was always nicely dressed. When many folks would show up in jeans and a t-shirt, Al was there in dress pants and a white shirt. He was a cowboy at heart and loved to wear his Tony Lama’s, Wranglers, a belt with a big buckle and his ten-gallon hat. Al was very proud of his Icelandic heritage and regularly attended Icelandic Days in Spanish Fork. In 2000, he was able to make a pilgrimage to his ancestors’ homeland and participate in the dedication of a new LDS church. He was also able to visit the church at which his Great-grandfather Runolfur Runolfsson served as a Lutheran minister. Al considered this trip to be one of the highlights of his life. He is survived by his wife, Helen Jensen Runolfson, his children Jason (Sandy) Runolfson, Kevin (Laura) Runolfson, Justin (Jenni) Runolfson, Kristen (Nathan) Somerville, Kimberly (Kevin) Harris, and Alicia Runolfson, twenty-one grandchildren and one great-grandchild, his sister Ann Roach and sister-in-law Dinita Runolfson Harris. He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Runolfson, mother, Alice Barton Runolfson, son Kelly Runolfson, and brother Gary Runolfson. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 15, 2022, in the American Fork 1st Ward Chapel at 381 South 300 East, American Fork. A viewing will be held at the church Friday, January 14, 2022, from 6 pm to 8 pm and Saturday prior to the funeral from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. For those who are unable to attend the services in person, the following link is provided to view services: https://my.gather.app/remember/allen-runolfson. Interment with military honors will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery. To Honor Al, sign up to be an organ donor at https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up if you feel you can.