Gordon L. Unruh

Gordon Leroy Unruh

In the early morning hours of Christmas Day, 2024, we received a phone call from Dad that he felt his time on this earth was coming to a close. As the daylight faded that afternoon, God answered his prayer and took him home. He was four days from his 99th birthday. He was residing in the Brookdale Home for Assisted Living in Dodge City, Kansas at the time. Although at one time he wanted to reach the milestone of his 100th birthday, due to his diminishing strength, he now only wanted to be released. His father, our Grandpa Ike, used to pray for sound minds for his children and this was certainly answered with our dad, who retained his amazing memory to the end. The African proverb, “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground” fit him very well, as he had an interest in many things.

Dad was born to Isaac J and Morna Giesel Unruh in McPherson County, Kansas on December 29, 1925.

Dad spent the first three years of his life in McPherson County. Grandpa Ike’s made the move to Greensburg, Kansas where Dad spent his childhood helping out on the farm. As he grew older, he found work helping neighbors. In the 1950’s he wired homes when electricity became available for rural Kansans.

He was baptized on December 22, 1940, by Minister Albert Unruh and he remained faithful to those vows to the end.

He left for CPS camp at Denison, Iowa on December 19, 1944, after which he continued voluntary service in California in a tuberculosis hospital and fighting forest fires, and made many lasting friends. He met our mother through one of those friends.

Dad and our mother Betty Nightengale were married on December 19, 1948, at Fairview, Oklahoma by Minister George Nichols. They started their life together in Scott County, Kansas but soon moved and bought a farm at Greensburg, Kansas where they lived until Mom needed full care in Bethel Home. Dad stayed on the farm until he needed extra assistance and moved to Brookdale 3 ½ weeks before his death.

Three children were born to them: Nancy, Judith and Lowell. Dad and Mom taught us to work hard and do our best at whatever we do. Living through the Great Depression taught him frugality, and he lived that teaching to the end. A quote he often used was “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without”.

Dad was ordained to the deaconry on March 6, 1966 by Minister Lincoln Jantz and fulfilled those duties faithfully. He also served on the Colonization Board for many years.

Left behind to cherish his memory are his children: Nancy and husband Kenneth Unruh, Lewis, Kansas, Judith and husband Kevin Smith, Fairview, Oklahoma, and Lowell Unruh, Greensburg, Kansas; six grandchildren: Matthew Unruh (Andrea), Hesston, Kansas, Amanda Ratzlaff (Kelly), Lewis, Kansas, Micah Unruh, Lawrence, Kansas, Teresa Gerber (Kevin), Blanchard, Oklahoma, Mackenzie Cottrell, Blanchard, Oklahoma, and Tyrone Smith (Maryanne Kamunge) of Wichita, Kansas; twelve great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral service and celebration of Gordon’s life will be 10:30 am Monday, December 30, 2024, at the Church of God in Christ Mennonite, Greensburg, with pastors Mark Dirks and Rod Nace presiding. Burial will follow in Bethel Memorial Garden. A visitation will be 6:00 – 8:00 pm Sunday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital, Greensburg, in care of Fleener Funeral Home, PO Box 41, Greensburg, KS 67054.