Mildred Jean (Goertzen) Martens-Unruh
1932 - 2020
Obituary
Mildred Jean Goertzen Martens-Unruh, 87, went to be with her
Lord and Savior on Friday, March 20, 2020. She was born on May 25, 1932 near
Ulysses, Kansas to Abe and Annie (Goertzen) Goertzen.
After graduation from Inman Rural High School in 1950,
Mildred attended Tabor and McPherson Colleges and earned a teaching
certificate. She taught school in Copeland and Inman, Kansas.
She married Melvin Roy Martens August 9, 1952 and the
following year moved to Denver, Colorado where they completed Alternative
Service at General Rose Memorial Hospital. From Denver they moved to Newton,
then settled in Hesston where they were great partners raising their three
sons, Kim, Kent and Keith.
Mildred chose to be a full-time mother and considered it to
be her greatest privilege and vocation. She loved spending time with young
people, serving 10 years as an on-call liaison for the Hesston school district
and 12 years as an assistant in the high school library. Her life was enriched
by compiling genealogies, creative writing, and flower gardening. But her
favorite hobby was spending time with her seven grandchildren. She cherished
every activity and conversation she shared with them, and prayed for them
daily. Also important to her was her faith. At age 12, she accepted Jesus as
her personal Savior and was baptized. She was involved in church throughout her
life and a long-time active member of Faith Mennonite Church in Newton, Kansas.
Mildred's husband Mel passed away unexpectedly in 1994. In
2002, she married a longtime family friend, Roy Unruh. They enjoyed splitting
time between Iowa and Kansas, and settled in Hesston in 2013.
Mildred leaves her beloved families: her husband, Roy Unruh;
sons Kim (Glenda) of Derby, KS, Kent (Des) of N. Newton, KS, and Keith (Sandi)
of Hesston, KS; and grandchildren Parker Robinson, John (Roxanne) Martens, Alex
(Kate) Martens, McKenzie Martens, Grant Martens, Kate Martens, Connor Martens,
and great-grandson John Martens.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Mel
Martens, brothers Edward and Vernon Goertzen, and nieces and nephews.
Mildred also leaves behind her Unruh family: Roy's three
daughters and one son and their families. Sherilyn Hines (Kansas City), Nikki
and Art Slowinsky, Isabella, Markus, Jarden and Mia; Natalie Unruh-Carey,
Adrianna, Nathaniel, Elizabeth Unruh-Carey, Aundrea, Donovan; Varrell
Unruh-Carey; Joni Fornelli (Lawrence, KS), Dar and Anna, Tor; Marcia and Greg
Shueller (Ft. Akinson, WI), Brianna, Kailyn, Melia; Brian Unruh (Cedar Falls,
IA), Griffin and Truman.
A celebration of Mildred's life is planned for later this summer.
