Anne Runschke's Obituary
Anne Lynn (Hale) Runschke, age 78, passed away on November 10, 2025. She was born on October 3, 1947, in Muskegon, Michigan, the daughter of Calvin and Shirley Hale, and a longtime resident of Grand Haven, Michigan.
The eldest of the Hale daughters, Anne attended Mona Shores Public Schools and was the first in her family to attend college. She earned two master’s degrees from Western Michigan University. On July 18, 1970, she married Gernot Runschke.
Anne devoted 44½ years to education with Grand Haven Area Public Schools beginning as a first-grade teacher at Robinson Elementary and Ferrysburg Elementary, later serving as a guidance counselor at both the junior high and senior high levels. For more than 12 years, she courageously battled Alzheimer’s dementia.
Anne was a feisty woman, with an incredible wardrobe and a remarkable sense of style, always choosing the perfect outfit for every occasion or adventure. Though she never considered herself a camper, she loved to travel: sleeping beside cows in Bavaria on her honeymoon; canoeing with Piranha fish down the Amazon; chaperoning National Honor Society students to Canada and Mexico; she didn’t even mind sleeping at the shiver inn on the way to skiing the Rockies; exploring much of Europe, Central and South America, and Asia. Above all, she treasured time spent with her husband and with her favorite brother-in-law and sister-in-law in Germany. The love of her life would say ‘It all started with a broken pair of sunglasses’.
She is survived by her husband, Gernot; her son, Jürgen Runschke; her daughter, Kirsten (Magda) Runschke; her sister, Susan Joe Hale; her brothers-in-law, Gunter (Beate) Runschke and Paul Lottes; her sister-in-law Barbara Runschke; and her nephews and nieces, their spouses, and their beautiful children. She was preceded in death by Calvin & Shirley Hale, parents-in-law Erich & Irmengard Runschke, sister-in-law Ingrid (Runschke) Lottes, brother-in-law Arno Runschke.
The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated team at The Little Red House (Spring Lake) for their compassionate care over the past several years, as well as to the Tri-Cities Family YMCA and the personal trainers who helped her stay fit.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Little Red House (Spring Lake) or Tri-Cities Family YMCA Annual Fund or the Grand Haven Schools Foundation, via the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation.
Please join us for a time of reflection and remembrance honoring the life of Anne Lynn Runschke on Friday November 21, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Central Park Place.
The Family is being served by The VanZantwick Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services. Please sign the family's online guestbook at Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services.
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