Unruh, Rachel Jantz (1885-1962)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Dec 6 p. 8

Birth date: 1885 Jul 31

text of obituary:

RACHEL (JANTZ) UNRUH

Our loving mother, Rachel (Jantz) Unruh, was born July 31, 1885, in Marion county, Kansas, the daughter of William Jantz. At the age of eight she with her parents moved to Meno, Okla. after the opening of the Cherokee Strip. In this area she resided the rest of her life.

In 1903 she made a public confession of faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour from sin, upon which she was baptized and joined the New Hopedale Mennonite Church of Meno, of which she remained a faithful member.

On Jan. 12, 1913, she joined hands in holy matrimony with Jacob P. Unruh. The ceremony was performed by Rev. John Ratzlaff. She enjoyed 43 years of married life in a farm, tilling the soil, rearing a family of three sons and one daughter in the nurture of God and living his precepts, and then God called her husband home. This left mother lonely, but her faith in God never faltered. Her interest in missions and especially the ladies mission society activities played a helpful role to make life worth living.

In 1957 she and her children felt it best for her to move to town. A home was purchased in Meno where she lived until August of 1961. Her health failed to such an extent that it was felt best to have her in the Fellowship Home of Fairview where proper food and medical care could be given. She enjoyed her stay here even though it was not home. Here again her zeal for missions blossomed forth. She requested her sewing machine, and day after day she sewed little dresses for the mission society.

On Oct. 22 she was admitted to the Fairview hospital for an operation, which was performed successfully on oct. 24. However, her health proved insufficient, and on Oct. 31 she left our presence. She reached the age of 77 years, three months, 10 days.

She leaves to mourn three sons, Cecil of Meno, Walter of Waukomis, and Vernard of Berthod, Colo., and their wives; one daughter Francis and husband of Meno; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; six brothers, Henry, Pete, John and Ben of Meno, William of Fairview, and Dave of Centralia, Wash.; and two sister, Lydia of Meno and Anna (Mrs. Dave Unruh) of Perryton, Texas. Preceding her in death were her husband, a brother and a twin sister.