11/04/2025
Richard “Dick” Runde
By: Twila Orr
Dick Runde passed away on October 30, 2025. He was my mentor in my early years of practicing law as he gave me my first job out of law school. He was kind, patient, God-fearing, and very wise in so very many ways.
As a young law school graduate, I came to know Dick in the summer of 1984. He was running for Effingham County State’s Attorney against Lou Viverito while serving as Assistant State’s Attorney to K. Rick Keller. I sat on a bench outside of his office hoping for a chance to talk with him about a job. Finally, his then-secretary, Susan VanDyke, told me that he was willing to talk with me.
I was a nervous 20something and Dick immediately gave me a comfort level with his smile and calm demeanor. He asked when I expected my bar results; I knew I would not be very valuable to the office without being licensed. Our meeting was in July, and the bar results were expected in November. Ernie Garbe was the Effingham County Board Chairman at the time. Ernie and Dick convinced the board to allow an expenditure for my part time salary until the bar results and election results were returned.
Dick was elected as Effingham County State’s Attorney and I passed the bar to become his assistant.
I was so fortunate to have Dick as my very first mentor. He knew I was new to the practice of law, and the advice he gave me was basic but ideal. “Treat people with respect. You never know what life has dealt them,” he said. Even as a prosecutor, he made sure that I realized that every case was different, and no matter the seriousness of the charges, the person deserved to be treated fairly and as a human being.
His patient demeanor also made my early years of practicing law a little easier. Appearing in daily court before a rather strict judge became challenging at times. The days often became more and more difficult, and on one occasion, the judge corrected my grammar in the presence of a courtroom full of people. Maybe it was 40 years ago, but I still remember the words: confer or convey. I was so angry when I returned to our offices after court that I told Dick I wanted to walk right into the judge’s chambers and say something that I knew I would later regret! He smiled, asked me to take a seat, and then said, “Try to calm down. You have a right to be upset, but for now, why don’t you just take the rest of the day off? Tomorrow will be a better day. I’m going to take a break myself and go across the street to Lange’s bookstore.” Anyone who knew Dick knew how much he loved to read. I took the day off. Dick went to the bookstore. The next day was, just as he said, a better day.
Dick and Rick Keller later formed a law partnership and I practiced with the Schniederjon firm. When I formed Orr Law, Dick was hoping to slow down his practice, so Keller & Runde merged with Orr Law. We always joked that Dick did not cross the creek between T-town and Effingham much to see us, but when he did, we always enjoyed having him around the office.
Dick Runde was a good man. He was an excellent mentor and I feel very fortunate to have known him. He will be greatly missed.
