Unruh, Steven Bruce (1951-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Mar 15 p. 6

Birth date: 1951

text of obituary:

. . .

— A fatal auto accident two miles east of Yoder, Kans. Sunday evening claimed two lives and injured six other persons. Mrs. Lena Koehn, 69, of Halstead was killed instantly, and Steven Bruce Unruh, four weeks old, died several hours later in Grace hospital, Hutchinson. Injured were the infant’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Unruh of Halstead, their two children, Allen 6, and Karen, 9, and Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Jantz of Sedgwick. All eight persons were riding in the Jantz car en route to Pretty Prairie to attend the evangelistic services at the First Mennonite church when their car collided with a water truck at an intersection. Most seriously injured were Mrs. Jantz and Karen Unruh both of whom were still unconscious Monday afternoon at Grace hospital. Funeral services for the Unruh infant were to be held Wednesday forenoon at the Halstead Mennonite church, while the body of Mrs. Koehn is to be sent to Oklahoma for final services and burial. Mrs. Koehn was an aunt of Mrs. Jantz, and both were related to Mrs. Lena Becker and Mrs. Lorene Koehn of Halstead, who were killed in an auto accident on Jan. 1, 1950.

---

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Apr 5 p. 8

text of obituary:

STEVEN BRUCE UNRUH

On February 12, 1951, God brought immeasureable [sic] joy to the home of Benjamin B. and Mabel Unruh when little Steven Bruce arrived to grace their home. The hearts of the brothers and sisters thrilled with happiness as they held this precious baby brother and admired him. Many were their hopes and plans made for this little one, the finest being that he should grow to become the image and superscription of God.

But God saw fit, in His wisdom to change the fondest human hopes and take little Steven home to Glory on Sunday evening, March 11, 1951, when he passed away in the Grace hospital in Hutchinson at 8:00 o’clock in the morning. He succumbed to severe injuries suffered earlier in the evening in a tragic accident while en route with his parents, one brother Allan and a sister, Karen, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Jantz and Mrs. Lena Koehn, to evangelistic services at the Pretty Prairie Mennonite church. In this tragic occurrence, Mrs. Lena Koehn also lost her life and all were injured.

Surviving little Steven are the sorrowing parents, four brothers, Bennie Dale, Harold Eugene, Raleigh, and Allan, and two sisters, Shirley and Karen, all of the home; the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Unruh of Winton, California. Numerous relatives and many friends of the family also survive. A sister, Eva Jean preceded him in death.

Though Steven Bruce was with us only four short weeks, the memories of his tender cries and his image will draw us very near to the abode in the Kingdom of God where he joins a legion of angels who sing the praises of God forevermore.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday forenoon, March 14, 1951, at 10:00 o’clock from the First Mennonite church of Halstead with Rev. L. A. Habegger officiating. Pamela, Paulette and Priscille Mueller, ages nine, eight and six respectively, sang “When He Cometh.” They were accompanied by their mother, Mrs. Paul Mueller. A quartet composed of Marlow Winsky, Menno Thiessen, Waldo Mueller and Victor Martens sang “Asleep in Jesus” and “Beyond The Sunset.” Mrs. H. O. Vogt accompanied them. Interment was in the Halstead cemetery.