In Dedication: Leona Running

On January 22, 2014, Andrews University lost one of its most important teachers and scholars. Leona Glidden Running, emerita professor of biblical languages, died at the age of 97. She served as professor of Semitic languages for nearly 50 years at the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. According to Bill Shea, “Leona assisted more students in writing doctoral dissertations than any other faculty member at Andrews University.” In addition, she was a copy editor and technical assistant for the Horn Museum Newsletter, the Near East Archaeological Society Bulletin, the Hesban series, the Madaba Plains Project series, the Assyriological series, Andrews University Seminary Studies and FOCUS magazine, as well as other Andrews University publications.

Leona was born in Flint, Michigan, on August 24, 1916. She became interested in languages at an early age and majored in French and German at Emmanuel Missionary College (Andrews University), graduating as the valedictorian in 1937. She met her husband Leif (“Bud”) Running while working for the Voice of Prophecy in California where she worked as a German, Spanish and Portuguese translator. She got married in 1942, but sadly, her husband died during surgery in 1946.

She published her first book, 36 Days and a Dream, in 1950 that recounted her travel adventures in Europe. She received a Master of Arts in biblical languages from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Takoma Park, Maryland in 1955 and by 1956 she was appointed to a full tenure faculty position teaching Greek and Hebrew. Her second book, From Thames to the Tigris described her adventures while on a study tour where, among other things, she climbed to the top of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

In 1957, Leona was accepted into the PhD program at Johns Hopkins University. She was interviewed by the renowned biblical archaeologist William F. Albright, who sat her down and began talking to her in Spanish, switched to French, then German and finally English. By the end of the conversation, Albright told her that she had passed her entrance exam. She completed her coursework while a faculty member at Potomac and later Andrews University, graduating in 1964. Her dissertation was titled, An Investigation of the Syriac Version of Isaiah. In 1965 she returned to Johns Hopkins as Albright’s research assistant and continued to help him complete several books, chapters and articles during the summers until 1971. When Albright died, she and Noel Freedman wrote his biography, William Foxworth Albright: A 20th Century Genius.

Running received many distinguished awards during her career at Andrews University including being awarded alumnus of the year at both her high school (Adelphian Academy) and her college (Andrews University) in 1977. Among her most notable awards, she was given a medal for Women of Excellence (1983), the Weniger medal for excellence in teaching (1989), the J.N. Andrews Medallion for significant achievement in the advancement of knowledge and education (1993) and the General Conference Medallion for excellence in teaching (1997). In May 2012 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Andrews University at the age of 96, the same type of honorary degree given to William Albright.

Leona Running published her biography in 2009 titled My Journey and although she retired in 1981 she continued to teach Akkadian, Syriac and Egyptian Hieroglyph as well as edit and chair numerous dissertation committees until 2002. She will always be remembered as an inspiration and an important role model for three generations of ministers and scholars who attended Andrews University. Her wisdom and guidance will be greatly missed by the faculty, staff, students and alumni of Andrews University.

Written by Robert Bates, Institute of Archaeology research associate in Egyptology and student of Leona Running