Anne Catherine Runland

HONOLULU, HI. – Anne Catherine Runland died in a tragic accident while working at the Kapiolani Farmers Market in Honolulu, Hawaii, on March 15, 2014. She will remain in the hearts of everyone who knew her.

Anne (Annie) was born in Mesa, Arizona, on April 22, 1986. In 1991 she began her schooling in Enumclaw, WA, and in 2004 graduated from Enumclaw High School. She spent two years at Washington State University and then transferred to the University of Hawaii, on Oahu. She would have graduated on May 17, 2014, however will now receive a posthumous degree in Child Psychology and a minor in Spanish. She was planning to earn her master’s degree at the University of Hawaii, Hilo.

At the age of seventeen Annie suffered from renal cell carcinoma and was a ten year cancer survivor. She worked for Starbucks for ten years in Enumclaw and Pullman, WA, and Honolulu. She recently began working at the farmers market and gourmet vegan restaurant in Honolulu. She fell in love with Hawaii, hiking Diamond Head, the Three Peaks, Hanakoa, and Kuliuou Valleys. She was an avid traveler, trekking through South America for nine months on her own. She hiked Glacier Perito Moreno, sat suspended above the Amazon Rain forest, viewed the sunrise on the slopes of Mauna Kea, napped amongst the peaks at Laguna Torre – Patagonia, and climbed from Macchu Pichu to Lanikai to get there for sunrise on Christmas Day 2011.

Annie has been an inspiration and ray of sunshine in everyone’s life. She was never without a smile on her face. She had a passion for traveling, cooking, attending college, speaking Spanish, hiking, yoga, painting, reading, and most importantly being with her friends and family. By her example she has taught everyone that life is too short and that you need to be happy and live life to its fullest.

Annie is survived by her mother and stepfather, Robert and Sarah van Vegten of Enumclaw, WA, father Terrence Runland of Burnett, WA, brother John Runland of Puyallup, WA, step-brother Jared van Vegten, of Tacoma, WA, grandmothers June Thornton and Ruth Runland, also of Enumclaw, and numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Part of Annie’s ashes will be scattered over the mountains of Hawaii by her dear friends, and by her family at the Thornton Ranch south of Billings, MT, and the remainder buried with her grandfather, Melvin L. Thornton, at Rockvale Cemetery, near Billings, MT, at a graveside service in early August.

There will be a Celebration of Life gathering for Annie on Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Thunder Mountain Middle School, Enumclaw, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. It will be an open house catered event to exchange memories of Annie’s life.