Virgil Lee Unruh (88) passed away at his Moyie Springs area Home on June 21, 2010.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 11:00am in the Mountain View Mennonite Church with interment following in the Mountain View Mennonite Cemetery, Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Virgil Lee Unruh was born on March 1, 1922 to Edward and Minnie
Unruh Unruh in Montezuma, Kansas during a snow blizzard. He unexpectedly
passed away at his home in Moyie Springs, Idaho on June 21, 2010
reaching the age of 88 years.
When Virgil was four years old he moved with his family to Copeland,
Kansas where he received his education. As a boy he spent many days out
in the sand hills herding cattle on horseback. In 1940 after the
devastation of the dust storms, he moved with his family to Bonners
Ferry, Idaho. He loved the Bonners Ferry area and made it his home the
rest of his life.
In 1942, Virgil began forty-three and a half months of 1W service as
a conscientious objector during World War II . He served one year in La
Pine, Oregon and spent the remainder of his time in Glacier National
Park. One experience he often told us was of the two orphaned bear cubs
he raised the summer he spent at Packers Roost, packing supplies to the
look-out with a string of mules. The bears added some enjoyment to an
otherwise very lonely time.
When Dad was twenty-four years old he repented and found forgiveness
of his sins. He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ Mennonite
on January 3,1947 by minister Herman Mininger. This experience was very
precious to him, resulting in a real change of life. Dad endeavored to
stay true to this commitment for the rest of his life. We as a family
benefited from his steadfast faith in God and His church.
On May 9,1948 Virgil was married to me, Marjorie Dirks of Bonners
Ferry. Five sons and three daughters were born to us. We settled on his
small dairy farm in the Moyie Springs area, at first living in an old
log cabin. For some years he worked at the sawmill in Moyie Springs
while building up his dairy herd. In 1964 we bought his parents farm.
This is where we stayed and raised our family.
Dad and Mom had a strong marriage that carried them through
sixty-two years. The last sixteen months Dad faithfully visited Mom
every day at the Extended Care Facility wing of the Community Hospital.
During this time he made many friends with hospital staff and other
patients.
Our father loved livestock with his basic occupation having to do
with cattle . He also liked horses, and always had a special interest in
sheep. He kept a small flock which he enjoyed caring for until just a
few months before his death. His focus never seemed to be on gaining
wealth, but he had a strong will to work and provide for his family. He
was a friend to every one and enjoyed visiting and helping his
neighbors. He loved his children and grandchildren and great
grandchildren and took a special interest in each one.
Those left to cherish fond memories are me, his beloved wife,
Marjorie; five sons and three daughters; Gerald and Janice, Bonners
Ferry , Idaho ; Joyce and Glenn Banach, Montezuma, Kansas; Roger and
Cheryl, Moyie Springs, Idaho; Leanna and Randy Wedel , Bonners Ferry,
Idaho; Mark and Robin, Bonners Ferry, Idaho; Ruth and Ancel Schmidt,
Moyie Springs, Idaho; Loren and Mary Lou, Charlo, Montana; Dalton and
Rolanda, Connell, Washington; thirty-eight grandchildren, thirty-four
great grandchildren; two brothers, Leonard and Ruth, Grafton, North
Dakota and Delmar, Moyie Springs,Idaho; two sisters, Lillie and Cyril
Mastre, Grant, Nebraska and Regina, Bonners Ferry, Idaho; sisters
-in-law, Mary Unruh and Annie Unruh of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; Virginia
Unruh, Buhl,Idaho; brother-in-law, Abe Dirks, Brooksville, Mississippi;
sisters-in-law, Martha Dirks, Opal Dirks and Doris and Ervin Jantz, all
of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Fern Dirks, Bethel Home, Montezuma, Kansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, three
sisters, one grandson, one great grandson and two grandsons-in-law.
Family and friends are invited to sign Virgil’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com Arrangement are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.
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