Verla Nylene Unruh, 86, of Spring Hill, Kansas passed away surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, February 29, 2024. She will forever be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend to everyone she knew.
Verla was born on August 30, 1937 in Sulphur, Oklahoma to Chester Alvin and Mildred Opal (Perkins) Reese. She attended and graduated from Oklahoma School for the Deaf. She earned her Bachelor’s degree of Science at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. She taught at North Dakota School for the Deaf and the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe, Kansas.
She enjoyed cooking and serving at KSD after retiring from teaching along with reading and collecting recipes. She also worked for the Museum of Deaf History and Art Center. She met the love of her life Keith Duane Unruh and they were married on July 13th, 1969. Together they raised their two sons Walter and William. She was a member of Deaf Liberty Baptist Church in Overland Park, Kansas.
Verla is preceded in death by her loving husband Keith Duane Unruh who passed away on July 26, 2018. She is survived by her two sons Walter Unruh and his wife Blanca of San Antonio, Texas and William Unruh and his wife Jennifer of Pittsburg, Kansas. Left behind to cherish her memory are her four grandsons John Unruh and his wife Leah of Arkansas, Mark Unruh of Fort Benning, Georgia, Jerod Unruh and his wife Meagan of Pittsburg, Kansas and Jacob Unruh of Pittsburg, Kansas. She will be sadly missed by her great grandchildren Noah, Audrey and Bellamy along with eighteen nieces and nephews.
A visitation and service 11-12:30 on Thursday, March 7th at McGilley and Frye Funeral Home 105 E Loula St. Olathe, KS 66061. Private burial in Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Coffeyville, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions “In Memory of Verla Nylene Unruh” can be made to MDHAC.
