Voth, Emma Ruth Unruh (1909-1996)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1996 Sep 26 p. 11

Birth date: 1909 Apr 25

text of obituary:

EMMA UNRUH VOTH

Emma Ruth Unruh Voth was born April 25, 1909, to David P. and Justina Gaeddert Unruh at their farm near Goessel, Kan. She was the youngest of eight children.

Upon the confession of her faith she was baptized by P. H. Unruh at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church on May 23, 1926. She graduated from Goessel High School in 1929 and from Bethel in 1935.

After college Emma began a career as a high school English, speech and drama teacher. She taught at Henderson and Stuart, Neb., in the late 1930s and at Hillsboro in the early 1940s.

In the mid-1940s Emma contracted encephalitis and was sent to recuperate in the climate at Manitou Springs, Colo. There she began dating Waldo Voth, who was serving in Civilian Public Service in nearby Colorado Springs. Waldo and Emma were married at Alexanderwohl on July 25, 1947. They had one son, Robert, born in 1950.

Emma taught English and speech at Goessel High School from 1947 until the mid-1960s. She coached students for speech contests and directed many plays. In the mid-1960s she began teaching remedial reading at the Goessel Grade School. She also tutored Vietnamese children. She began and developed the grade school central library. She enjoyed motivating students to read. She taught Sunday school at Alexanderwohl for many years.

Emma and Waldo served as Young People's Union sponsors and on the deacon board. She was active in the YWCA and served on the Western District Conference Library Committee, the Bethel College Alumni Board and the first Bethel Parent's Council.

Emma retired from teaching in 1974. In retirement she enjoyed reading to quilting groups, traveling, light craft work and personal reading. She entered the Bethesda Home in 1994, where she died July 2, 1996. She is dearly remembered and beloved as wife, mother and teacher.