Margaret Jane Unruh

Margaret Jane Peters (Unruh) was born 3/6/1924. She was the eldest daughter in a family of five children, three girls and one boy. She had an older sister, Cleo, that died at birth. Her mother, Cora Edna Wallen (Peters) was born on 3/11/1898 in Oklahoma and later moved to Arvada, Colorado. Her father, Otho Elzie Peters, was born 9/25/1884 in Greeneville, Tennessee. His family moved to the Arvada area where he grew up. He married Cora on 3/10/1920. They settled in Arvada where they remained and raised their family. They died in 1969 and 1966 respectively. Margaret was called by her middle name, Jane, all of her life. She started her life in the ""Roaring Twenties"" and survived the ""Great Depression"" during her teen years. Her father worked for the railroads and her mom raised the family until the later years when she worked as an Administrative Assistant. Jane attended Lawrence Elementary School. She lived across the street from it in a house that still stands today. The family eventually moved out to the country (Arvada Heights) toward her teenage years. That house also still stands. She often told stories of earning money by picking strawberries on the farms all over the area. She attended Arvada High School and graduated in 1942. She was the President of the Glee Club, member of the Prep Club, Secretary of the Senior Class, member of the Newspaper Club, and Editor of the Yearbook. She met her future husband, Thomas Edwin Unruh, in high school. From all accounts, they were inseparable. She attended CSU for two years and then X-ray Technician Training at the Presbyterian Hospital in Denver. She worked as X-ray Tech periodically throughout her life. Jane married Tom on 5/14/1945 after his return from WWII. They had three children, Linda, Lee and Larry. They lived in the Arvada area all of their lives. They had been married for 54 years at the time of Tom's death. She was a very involved mother. She held positions such as room mother and President of the PTA. Her actions demonstrated her wish to have the best for her children. Some of her favorite memories were dancing to the Glenn Miller Band at the Trocadero Ballroom at old Elitch Park. They remained excellent dancers all their lives even though opportunity did not present itself often in the later years. She also loved to travel and was able to enjoy many adventures from camping in Yellowstone to cruising the Caribbean during her life. On the occasion of her 50th High School Reunion, it was noted that the class of '42 had witnessed incredible changes. They were born before television, Penicillin, Polio shots, frozen food, Xerox, Frisbees, and the Pill. They were before gay rights, computer dating, dual careers, commuter marriages, daycare centers, group therapy and nursing homes. Gas was 11 cents per gallon. No one had walked on the moon. Computers, dishwashers, dryers, cell phones, Ipods were all non-existent. Jane fused adversity and sorrow in the loss of her oldest son Lee, caring for her husband on Dialysis and then dealing with Dialysis first hand herself. Nevertheless, Jane had a full life and lived well. She is survived by 2 children and their spouses, 6 grandchildren and their spouses, 7 great-grandchildren, 2 sisters and 1 sister-in-law, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. She is remembered by each of them for different reasons. Each has their own stories to remember her by as one her great attributes was to recognize and acknowledge what was unique about each person. She will be missed.