Unruh, Pauline Ulm Koehn (1848-1946)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1946 Apr 25 p. 3 [Note this page in the April 25th issue is headed "April 18".]

Birth date: 1848 Apr 4

text of obituary:

PAULINE ULM UNRUH

Mrs. Pauline Unruh was born to John and Rose (Michaels) Ulm near Warsaw, Poland, on April 4, 1848. Here she grew to womenhood [sic]. In 1874 her parents and family moved to Wholynien, Fuerstendorf. [sic]

She was united in Marriage with David W. Koehn in 1875. To this union two sons Gus, and Ferd, were born.

Her husband was taken from her side by death in 1890. Before departing this life he requested that after his death she take the boys and go to America. Leaving all her relatives and friends behind, she did come to America arriving in Hillsboro, Kansas. From there she was taken to north of Durham, where she resided till 1893.

In 1893 she united in marriage with Peter Unruh. For a number of years they made their home south of Moundridge. Later when the Cherokee strip was opened up for settlement, they moved to Oklahoma, settling on a farm a few miles northwest of Lahoma.

She was a consistent Christian, but since she was brought up in the Lutheran faith and was baptized when an infant, she had a desire to receive adult baptism. When her two sons were baptized she too was baptized by Elder John Ratzlaff and taken into the membership of the New Hopedale Mennonite church, of which she remained a true member until her death. She loved to quote Bible verses and sing songs. The last song that she sang four or five days before she passed away, was "O mein Jesus du bist's wert."

After several years Mr. and Mrs. Unruh sold their farm and moved to Meno, where they were close to the church and where also some of the children lived. They bought a home in Meno and there lived a blessed Christian life until death suddenly took her husband from her side.

For a while she lived at her home, but later moved to her son Gus. Here she lived till he was taken away in death. In less than a year his wife, too, went to her reward.

From that time on she lived with her younger son Ferd, near Perryton, Texas, and later moved to Blaine, Washington, where she remained till her death.

Despite her advanced age she was quite well except for a bad cough, which later also left her. Her health was good until her death. On December 14, 1945, she fell from a chair and fractured the bone above the wrist. This healed up nicely and she never complained about it. From this time on, however, she seemed to fail and on January 22 5:30 A. M. she fell asleep, never to awake in this world.

She leaves to mourn her death, one son and one daughter-in-law, 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, one sister in Benton Harbor, Michigan, nieces and nephews and a host of friends. One sister, Mrs. Ernstine Ziebart, and a brother, Carl Ulm, preceded her in death. — F. D. Koehn and family.