Elvin Unruh

Elvin Unruh, hero and hardest worker known, passed away on May 26, 2023, in Kansas City, MO at the age of 95. A visitation will be held from 9:30-10:00am on Wednesday, May 31st with a service following at 10am, both at Carson-Speaks Chapel, 1501 W. Lexington Ave., Independence, MO 64052. Interment will follow at Mt. Washington Cemetery in Independence.

Elvin was born on February 13, 1928, in Hutchinson, KS to Julius and Margaret Unruh. He grew up during the depression on a farm with crops and animals and had no electricity, so he was accustomed to hard work even as a young boy. Elvin served in the Army during the Korean War in Germany.

Throughout his life, he always had a green thumb. He loved planting and reaping big gardens and was known for having beautiful flower beds for birds and butterfly sanctuaries. He was a soft-spoken man, yet very strict parent. Elvin never met an animal that didn’t like him.

Elvin retired as a sorting clerk after 31 years with the United States Postal Service.
Over the last few years, he enjoyed sitting on his covered porch all hours of the day and evening watching the dogs play and looking at the flowers and hummingbirds. When he wasn’t sitting on the porch, he was watching old westerns. He never tired of John Wayne or Audie Murphy. He was truly amazed at all the changes in the world over his 95 years.

Elvin is preceded in death by his wife, Luella; his infant daughter, Deann; parents, Margaret and Julius; sisters, Evelyn Kling, Erma Murray, Edith Unruh, and Elaine Storley; and brother, Eldon Unruh.

He is survived by his daughters, Debbie Rabich, Darla McMillian and Denise Holliger; his son, Dean Unruh and his wife, Brenda; grandchildren, Shawn (Jennifer) Rabich, Ann (Paul) Hoppers, Kate Rabich, Candice Rabich, Kadin Rabich, Jace Rabich, Joshua (Stacy) Unruh, Jillianne Unruh, Jocelyn Unruh, Jayle Hayes, Jacobe Unruh, Eian Unruh, Lilly Unruh, Chrissy Holliger, Monica Holliger, Michael Holliger, and Royalty Holliger; his sisters, Elda Regar, Emma Dunbar, Earna Roberts, and Ella Mae Redford; as well as, many nieces and nephews.