Esther Unruh

Esther Unruh, 89, of Motley, formerly of Jamestown, ND and Colorado Springs, CO, died February 19, 2017, at CentraCare Hospital in St. Cloud. Esther incurred a traumatic brain injury in a fall the day prior and never recovered.

A celebration of her life was held Feb. 22  at the Haut Funeral Home, Jamestown, ND.

Burial will take place in the spring at the Gackle Cemetery, Gackle, ND.

Esther was born in Gackle to Lydia Dockter and John Veil. She grew up on her family’s farm in Gackle and then went into the nursing field. She met her husband, Robert, when he returned to North Dakota after serving in the Korean War. Esther was a housewife, active in her church and a champion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She was involved with Special Olympics, The Arc, and numerous other disability organizations in Jamestown and in Colorado Springs. She was a former member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and Atonement Lutheran Church in Jamestown and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs.

She is survived by her husband of 63 years; two sons, Mark Unruh of Motley and Marty Unruh of Colorado Springs, CO; two daughters, Marsha (McNeil) Unruh of Colorado Springs, CO and daughter, Marla Smith of Rockford, IL six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; five sisters, Lenora Labrenz, Bertha Labrenz, Magdalena Klundt, Violet Fischer, and Ilene Albin and two brothers, Eugene Veil and Henry Veil.

Esther is preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Olga Fischer.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial donations be made to the Special Olympics North Dakota, 2616 South 26th Street, Grand Forks, ND  58201, http://www.specialolympicsnorthdakota.org/home/

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