It was a lucky day for Wessington Springs when Richard and Roberta decided to retire here a couple of decades ago.
The couple had been living and working in Florida when they decided to return to Wessington Springs because of the hot, humid weather there.
“We’re one of the few people who retire from Florida to South Dakota,” Roberta says… “to God’s country.”
They haven’t been sitting around during their retirement years. Since their return to this community they have spent their time involved as volunteers in many organizations from the very beginning. They worked tirelessly for the Jerauld County Historical Society, helping to shape the organization into what it is today. They were there at the beginning when the Shakespeare Garden/Anne Hathaway Cottage Society was formed and have helped resurrect the gardens and cottage into the town’s number one tourist attraction. They also were among the many volunteers who worked on the rebirth of the Restored 1905 Opera House in Wessington Springs, helping it become a cultural center for the area. And the list goes on.
Dick was born and raised in South Dakota and moved to Glendale, CA at a young age and attended high school there. Roberta, a California girl, also lived in Glendale, just eight miles from Los Angeles, also attending school there.
t was love at first sight for a Wessington Springs couple, and the Valentine’s Day cards have been piling up for the next 70 years. Richard and Roberta Unruh were married January, 1940 and celebrated their anniversary with a card shower that was planned by their children.
They met on the way to a revival meeting in ’36
They were 17 years of age when they met, according to Roberta. “There was a big revival meeting in town with a tent that covered two blocks,” she recalled. “I was to sing in the choir and was in a hurry to get there on time. My brother said we should pick up Dick Unruh to go with us. “I said no, I’ve got to sing in the choir and we don’t have time. My brother said we could run and pick up Dick and still make it.”
They ran a few blocks to where Dick lived, she continued. “My brother said ‘You stand here where I can see you while I go get Dick’, she said.
She got her first glimpse of her future husband as he stood in the doorway. “I thought to myself: Well, he looks pretty good!” Roberta said.
The couple went to the malt shop after the revival meeting and “that was it,” she said. “We seemed to know we would spend the rest of our lives with each other.”
Richard and Roberta dated for the next four years, until they were 21 years old, and got married in Glendale in January of 1940.
As it is with most young couples, the first years were lean ones. “We budgeted six dollars a week for groceries,” says Roberta. “But those were good years… happy years. And they have been happy years ever since.”
The Unruhs lived in Wessington Springs in the 1950s and 1960s before moving to Florida where they were self-employed with their own semi-truck.
Richard pulled Mayflower moving trailers around the country until their “retirement” move back to Springs.
And life has been good here in God’s country. Their two children, Richard and Gretchen both live at Yankton, just a short drive away.
Richard and Roberta didn’t have a big celebration for their 70th anniversary because of the blizzards and bitter weather. But their children plan to have a gathering during better weather later in the year.
“We’ve already received over eighty greeting cards,” she said on the couple’s anniversary day. The community wishes them well with many more years of happiness. You may send them a greeting 519 College Ave. N., Wessington Springs, SD 57382.
Some of the couple’s friends have donated money in their honor to the Adopt the Museum program at the Jerauld County Heritage Center. See story on page two.
on Feb 1st, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Craig – I was delighted to read the articel about Richard and Roberta Unruh being married for 70 years. Mrs Unruh taught at Beckman School when I was a student there. I think it was my 3rd and 4th grade years. Many times throughout the years I have recalled several things that Mrs. Unruh taught me. She was a stickler on phonics and spelling. She “strongly encouraged” us to participate in the YCL annual competitions which included many different mediums . These experiences at a very young age taught me to speak in front of groups and prepare presentations which has served me well in my professional life. She was a huge influence in my life and I can still pcture her standing in the front of that one room school house giving us our spelling tests (All 8 grades I might add). This article brought back so many great memories. Thank you. Pam (Morrison) Breidenbach