Dick Clemens, the real police officer who was delighted when Rockwell asked him to pose for "The Runaway," passed away this week.

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We bid a sad farewell to a model for one of Norman Rockwell’s most iconic covers, “The Runaway” from 1958. Dick Clemens, the real police officer who was delighted when Rockwell asked him to pose for the painting, died Monday at the age of 83.

The popular cover shows a boy running away from home, as boys sometimes do. The contrast between the large policeman and the small boy is poignant. Rather than briskly hauling the runaway home, the officer respects the lad’s dignity with a bite at the diner and a chat first. In a 1976 issue of the Post, Clemens talks about modeling for Rockwell:

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