Otis Unruh
1921 - 2020
Otis Unruh passed away peacefully
Sunday afternoon, Nov. 8, 2020, at the age of 99, at Kidron Bethel
Health Care Center, North Newton, Kansas.
Otis was born March. 22, 1921, on a
farm near Goessel, Kansas, to Heinrich B. and Maria (Voth)
Unruh. The family moved to Halstead
Kansas in 1937 where Otis graduated from Halstead High School 1939.
Otis and his family attended First
Mennonite Church in Halstead. On June 11, 1941, Otis married Vera
Matthies, also of rural Halstead, at First Mennonite in Halstead, a
marriage that lasted over 72 years, when Vera passed away in 2013.
They made their first home in Halstead. A year later, Otis was
drafted and served as a non-combatant during World War II at an army
hospital located in Oxford, England till 1945 when he returned home.
During this time apart, Vera lived in Wichita and worked at the
Fourth National Bank.
After the war, they made their home on
west 1st St. in Newton, where Otis worked for the rail mill. Later
Otis began working for Kansas Gas & Electric Co. and soon they
moved to rural Burns, KS. Their next move was back to Newton, and
finally to 518 S.E. 10th, where they lived from 1947 till 2002, when
they moved to Kidron-Bethel Retirement village. During the 55 years
Vera and Otis lived at 518 S.E. 10th, Wayne was born in 1947, Daryl
was born in 1951 and Sandra (Sandy) was born in 1958. Otis worked at
Kansas Gas and Electric Company (KG&E) for 40 years from 1946 to
1986, retiring at 65.
After retirement, Otis and Vera enjoyed
spending the winters in Arizona as "snow birds" visiting
both Wayne and his family, as well as, Sandy and her family. They
made these trips for 22 years and really enjoyed these times together
with family and with many new friends they made there. Family times
were always very important, especially gatherings with immediate and
extended families for holidays and special occasions.
Throughout these years, Otis was very
active at First Mennonite church in Newton serving as an usher, a
"Boys League" leader, on the Board of Trustees, and on the
Board of Deacons. He also enjoyed singing with the chancel choir for
many years. One of his favorite activities was singing with the
Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus from its beginning in 1978 for over 40
years.
Otis and Vera made several other
memorable trips over the years. They traveled to Hawaii for their
40th wedding anniversary, and made a trip to Saskatoon, Canada. Their
most memorable trip was to the Mennonite World Conference in
Strasbourg, France which also included a two-week trip to the Holy
Land.
At home in their duplex at Kidron
Bethel Village, Otis enjoyed meeting and making friends. Men's coffee
in the afternoons was always a favorite. He also liked doing
woodworking projects in his garage shop and made many wooden toys for
his grandchildren.
Otis's care and concern for family and
friends will most certainly be missed. He was preceded in death by
Vera, his parents, his sisters Hunora, Rosetta, Velma, Darlene and
Annetta. Otis is survived by Wayne and his wife Laura, grandson Jeff,
great-grandchildren Kori, Rebecca and C.J., and
great-great-grandchildren Bralyn and Andrea; Daryl and his wife
Cindy, and grandsons Graham and his wife Rachel, great-grandchild
Owen; and Mason; Sandy and granddaughter
Nicole, and great-granddaughter
Mattison; and sister-in-law Mary Janzen and her family.
We love you and take comfort in knowing
you are in Jesus' care.
