Merlan Unruh
Obituary
MOUNDRIDGE- Merlan Wayne Unruh was born July 16, 1926, in Hillsboro, and passed away at the age of 89 on December 18, 2015. His parents were Lewis and Edna (Penner) Unruh. He married Florence E. Penner in Halstead on September 5, 1947, after serving in the army during World War II from November 1945 through April 1947. He was a T/4 postal clerk stationed in Frankfurt, Germany.
Merlan was a member of the Halstead Lions Club, American Legion, and Halstead Cemetery Association. He participated in the annual Mennonite Mens Chorus for many years and was a strong supporter of the Halstead High School basketball and football teams. He was inducted into the KBCA Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2006 for being part of the 1944 Halstead High School championship team.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years and three children: Iris Schlabach, Dave (Julie) Unruh, and Gayle (Mike) Ferrell; sister: Della (Dick) Weigand; brothers: Gary (Doris) Unruh, and Dennis (Diann) Unruh; six grandchildren: Jeff (Sasha Sittner) Schlabach, Gina (TJ) Turner, Karen (Michael Blouin) Schlabach, Anna(Kyle) Brown, Alexa (Ben Roller) Unruh, and Jill (Nate) Edwards; plus five great-grandchildren: Trey, Whitney, and Broden Turner; Quinn and Logan Schlabach; along with many special nieces and nephews. His bear hugs were both feared and expected and will be missed.
He was preceded in death by a brother Arline Unruh, son-in-law Gene Schlabach, brothers-in-law Herb Miller, Tom Greenwell, and Wilbert Penner, nephews Greg Penner and Kim Wheeler, and a great-niece Stephanie McCart.
Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday, (Dec. 21, 2015) at Kaufman Funeral Home, Halstead.
Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, (Dec. 22, 2015) at First Mennonite Church in Halstead with Rev. Randy Smith officiating. Cremation will follow the service. Memorials may be sent to Pine Village Continuing Care Retirement Community in care of Kaufman Funeral Home.
