Mary Honora Runyon went home to Jesus on November 25, 2024, surrounded by her family in Vero Beach, FL.

Better known to her family as Mimi, she taught all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that the Lord was preparing a palace for each of them in Heaven, and that Her's was made of chocolate. This heavenly accommodation couldn't be bestowed on a more grateful or deserving subject, as Mary devoted her life to serving God.

She was born in Albany, NY to Mary and Nicholas Ferra on October 4, 1946. The family was completed with the birth of her younger brother, John Ferra, and they later settled in South Florida. Through her friend and future brother-in-law, Jim, she met her husband Billy "Bill" Runyon. They were married on November 23, 1967. Together, they raised their oldest three children: Michael, Elizabeth, and Jonathan, living in many different cities around the United States, eventually settling again in Vero Beach.

Always thrifty, she excelled at using whatever resources she had on hand to make sure that her children never felt like they were missing out on anything. Once, when her family stayed in a hotel during Halloween, she sent the young children out and had them "Trick-or-Treat" at their own hotel room over and over again and gave them a different treat every time that they knocked on her door. When her children heard about the elusive "ice cream sandwich," Mary was proud to serve them ice cream in between two pieces of whole wheat toast.

She was our very own Amelia Bedelia. A woman of modest tastes, Mary loved a good chili dog, the occasional Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen, and of course, anything and everything chocolate. Her family often joked that her favorite Mexican food was the Choco Taco. It was funny because it was true. From Sunday morning after breakfast, until way past lunchtime, it was well known that Mary was occupied with worship, having been a faithful member of New Hope Ministries for the past 40 years. She was known to attend services at multiple different churches in a single day and loved any opportunity to partake in fellowship with her congregation whenever she knew that the church doors would be unlocked.

Many around her appreciated Mary as a resource to boost their own prayer requests, knowing that she would assemble many women of God to help. Whenever you saw Mimi, she would give you a list of who you needed to be praying for and why. If anyone had earned God's ear, it was Sister Mary. After Michael, Elizabeth, and Jonathan were out of the house, she became a caretaker to her father until his death, earning her CNA license in the meantime. Later, Mary babysat for a young girl named Taylor, who was eventually adopted into the family as their youngest daughter. Though she and Bill were already in their 50's, they were thrilled to welcome their newest blessing. When Bill's mother, Maggie Lee, became ill, Mary went right back into action and once again became a caretaker in the final years of her mother-in-law's life, and well into Mary's own 7th decade.

After Maggie's death, Mary utilized her newfound free time to spend with her grandchildren and to welcome into the world her great-grandchildren. She often said that she couldn't believe she was a great-grandmother, since she never knew she was even a good grandmother! Not only was she great, but she was the best to ever bear the title. Notably, she served as a beloved chauffeur, frequently picking up her grandchildren from school, first in the 90's for her oldest grandchild and namesake, Mary, and up until just weeks before her death in 2024. The children were blessed to know that no matter how rough school was, Mimi was excited to see them at the end of the day, and she was always more than willing to stop for a treat on the way home. In her final years, she went to California to fetch her younger brother, John, so that she could take care of him in her home. They loved their time together, driving around town and running errands, reigniting their sibling bond, as if they were children again. It was through her savior, Jesus, that she found the strength to continue taking care of her loved ones until the very end of her life, refusing assistance. It was a delicate dance for her daughter, Elizabeth, to take care of Mary in her final years, without letting her find out that she was being taken care of. In her own words, she "likes to be independent," and it showed in every moment of her time on Earth.

Now, after 78 years thinking of everyone but herself, she sits with her mother and father inside of her glorious Heavenly palace of chocolate, and she is finally at rest.

Mary was preceded in death by her mother, Mary, her father, Nicholas, stepmother, Syble, and mother in-law, Maggie.

Mary is survived by her husband, Bill, her brother, John, her sister in prayer, Diana (Ron), her children, Michael (Stacy), Elizabeth (Paul), Jonathan (Andria), and Taylor, grandchildren, Mary "Beth" (William), Grace-Lynn, Emily, Nila, Nicholas, Jordyn, Eleanor, and Emma, and great-grandchildren, Irelia and Jaxon.

In honor of Mary Honora Runyon, who would not want you to grieve for her, we encourage you to do the things she loved: eat some chocolate, play Tetris, help a stranger, spend time with your family, and pray.

Funeral services will be held at 1pm , Saturday, November 30, 2024 at New Hope Ministries, 4425 71st St, Vero Beach, FL 32967.

Interment will follow at Winter Beach Cemetery.