V elma Jean was born January 1, 1926 near Mt. Vernon, South Dakota to John and Lula (Olson) Breland.  She was baptized March 21, 1926 at Victor Lutheran Church, near Mt. Vernon, and confirmed November 5, 1939 at Storla Lutheran Church.  She attended rural schools in Davison and Sanborn County and high school in Mt. Vernon, graduating in 1943 from Mitchell High School.  Her family moved to Washington State in 1943.  She worked at Western Union in Tacoma before her marriage November 25, 1945 to Merle Runestad in Puyallup, Washington. They moved back to Mitchell in 1948 where she and Merle raised six children.  She worked at Midwest Church Supply, Tradehome and Brown Shoes and for ten years at Mitchell Middle School.

She has been a member of First Lutheran Church for 70 years.  She was always active in her circles, choir and Ladies' Aid.  She and Merle always enjoyed spending time with their friends, relatives, Horseless Carriage Club events and Sons of Norway.  They enjoyed several trips together, traveling to all four corners of the U. S. and Alaska.  She was an avid reader and loved having her family visit.  After Merle died, she enjoyed playing cards with her friends and volunteering at the Friends of the Middle Border Museum and thrift store.

She is survived by her daughters, Christine Dierks (Ken) of Sioux Falls, Rebecca Dewald (Darrel) of Lakeville, Minnesota and sons David Runestad of Eagan, Minnesota, Robert Runestad of Broomfield, Colorado and Dan Runestad (Amy) of Custer, South Dakota; grandchildren Jill Esterly-Jayne, Lisa Gomarko, Matt Runestad, Karen Kaczrowski, Mike Dierks, Kari Dierks, Amber Runestad and Tyler Runestad; sisters, Annabelle Swanson (Bob) and Marilyn Berry (Jim), both of Puyallup, Washington and sister-in-law Eunice Breland of Miller, South Dakota.

She was preceded in death by her husband Merle in 1996, her daughter Jeanne Hodges in 2014, daughter-in-law Darlette Runestad in 2006, her brother Irvin Breland in 2005, brother and sister-in-law Harlan and Ora Runestad, and her parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church in Mitchell or Good Samaritan Society in Lennox, South Dakota.