COPELAND - My loving wife, our Mother, and Grandmother, Norma Lou (Becker) Unruh was born to Lee Roy and Elizabeth Becker on November 11, 1939, at Halstead. She peacefully passed away April 25, 2020 at Bethel Home, Montezuma, reaching the age of 80 years.

She spent her childhood years in rural McPherson County and attended grade school at South Union School. She continued her education at Moundridge High School and graduated from there in 1957. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and was baptized at the age of 17 years old on February 24, 1957 at Lone Tree Mennonite Church. She went into nurses training in 1958 attending Bethel College and Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton. She graduated as an RN in August 1961, wearing her nursing cap and white nursing uniform.

Two months later she married Arnold Unruh of Copeland on October 15, 1961 and left the church yard in a Turquoise 1961 Starliner Ford. Two weeks later, they started their new life in Denver, Colorado for 1-W service where they both worked at General Rose Memorial Hospital. They left Denver in November 1963 and moved to a little one-bedroom home on the home place at Copeland. They lived in 3 houses on the same yard and she was a busy homemaker caring for her 5 children—Gayla, Kendall, Michael, Mark, and Brian.

In the early 1980's, Norma returned to full-time nursing practice at St. Catherine's Hospital in Garden City. She was also a community nurse, offering her advice and aid for anyone who asked. In the Fall of 1986, she had the opportunity to be the cook at Salem Valley Christian School and cooked there for approximately 15 years. The children loved her many yummy meals she would make for them and still remember them today.

Norma had many talents and hobbies. She enjoyed writing poetry and wrote articles for The Montezuma Press. She made many baked goods and took them to Farmer's Market in Garden City. She loved to piece quilts, garden, can the things she grew in her garden, and was also an avid reader. Her love for nature and birds made the springtime her favorite season. She truly enjoyed watching the outside world bloom into God's great beauty. She had a heart for others, often showing kindness in many ways.

She is survived by her husband, Arnold of the home; daughter, Gayla (Duane) Martens of Inman; son, Kendall (Veronica) of Copeland; son Michael (Lisa) of Windsor, Colorado; son Mark (Kerry) of Garden City; son Brian (Heather) of Copeland; sister Annie (Lynn) Wedel of Martin, Tennessee; sister Vickie (Steve) Hughes of Tonganoxie; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee Roy and Elizabeth Becker.

Special thanks to Bethel Home for their great love and care in these last 3 years.

Family graveside service will be held at Salem Mennonite Cemetery, Copeland on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:00 AM with Min Sam Unruh presiding. Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel, Montezuma on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Memorials are suggested to Bethel Home in care of the funeral home. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.