Edna Unruh

Edna Rose Unruh, 23, was born on December 3 , 2000 at Las Vegas, New Mexico to Andy and Nancy Unruh. She grew up at Fort Sumner, New Mexico on the family farm with her horses and dogs as her constant companions. When she was 6 years old, she lost her big sister, Anna.

Anna and Edna loved to pick wildflowers. Together they gave away many gifts of love as they handed out bouquets and hugs to anyone who crossed their paths. Her younger brother Max became her best friend as they faced life side by side.

Edna grew up living and breathing horses. They became a part of who she was. She had a gift with training and raising them. This gave her joy because she recognized how it gave others opportunity to experience the healing therapy that horses provide.

She gave her heart to Jesus when she was 12 and was baptized January 27, 2013 into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.

Edna wanted to do something for the Lord and God led her to Raising Hope Ranch. She received hope and healing for her own heart as she gave herself to others. Edna loved and supported the Ranch and gained many close friends. There she was nicknamed Eddie Rose.

Fort Sumner was always the home of her heart, but she lived different places where she won friends in her quiet endearing way.

Last July an opportunity opened for her to move to Ulysses, Kansas and Chastin and Yolanda Koehn welcomed her into their home as a daughter. She found a waitressing job at Alejandro’s, another place where she touched lives.

She was an outdoor girl who loved the wide-open spaces of the ranch land in New Mexico with the brilliant blue sky over her head. She also loved her moments of Bella Grace, finding beauty in the every day, living life with a full heart and open eyes.

Edna’s life held many challenges and hard times. She struggled with accepting herself as she was. As she was learning to more fully accept and understand God’s healing power of grace, we watched her blossom. We rejoice that now she knows the truth about herself.

She was deeply loved here on earth just as she is in Heaven. Edna loved expressing the deep things in her heart with her pen and notebooks. The simple act of scribbling thankfulness to God as a form of worship to her best Friend gave her joy.

We know she is whole but we are so broken. Her mom Nancy Unruh, Muleshoe, Texas. Her dad Andy Unruh and her brother, Max of Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. A special friend Suzy Tipton of Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. Chastin and Yolanda, Briana, Landon and Kindalyn Koehn, her Ulysses family. Darrin and Julie Burns, Savannah, Abby; Daryl and Shelly Ensz, along with all of the Fort Sumner congregation, whom she considered her family. Raising Hope Ranch, especially Miss Sharla Nightingale and her beloved ‘sister’ Jeralyn Doerksen. The Ulysses youth group made her smile.

We know her sister Anna met her with open arms. Also preceding her in death are all four of her grandparents, two uncles, and two cousins.

Viewing hours will be Thursday, March 14, 2024 from 1pm to 6pm in the Chavez Funeral Home Chapel. The Unruh family will receive friends on Thursday from 4pm to 6pm at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

The Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 am Friday, March 15, 2024 at the Fort Sumner High School Gymnasium, Daryl Ensz will lead the service. Interment will follow the service at the Unruh Family Farm, 1986 Billy The Kid Drive, Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Pallbearers will include Carlayne Holdeman, Daniel Unruh, Dalyn Smith, Landon Koehn, Jordan Smith, Logan Nightingale.

Arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home, 830 N. Fifth Street, Fort Sumner, New Mexico. (575) 355-2311. www.chavezfuneralhome.com