Meet The Unrue Family From Indiana.

Meet Sandy (Unrue) Boller‘s parents: Jack & LaVonne (Holm) Unrue.

Jack Alden Unrue (above left) was born on May 27, 1927 to Cletus & Violet Unrue of Atwood – near Warsaw – Indiana. Jack was the oldest of three children, with his sister, Janet (1929), and his brother, Joe (1931). LaVonne Francis Holm was born two years later, on March 28, 1929, to John & Mary Holm in Elkhart, Indiana. LaVonne had an older brother, Jack (pictured above right), born in 1927. The Holms moved to Warsaw in 1939.

When WWII broke out in December 1941, Jack was only 14 years old. Two and a half years later (June 23, 1944), at age 17, Jack – who wanted to do his part in winning the war – dropped out of high school following his junior year, stretched the truth about his age, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy (see pic above).

Welcome to Warsaw, Indiana. After the war ended (1944), Jack finished up his service in the Navy, being mustered out on his 19th birthday in 1946. He returned to Warsaw, meeting his future bride while he was finishing up high school. As the story goes, the two lovebirds – who were both seniors at Warsaw High School at the time (1947), met at Kroger’s Food Store, where LaVonne was working a part-time checkout job.

Jack & LaVonne were married on June 6, 1948 in Warsaw.

Sandra Elaine Unrue was born on April 18, 1950 in Warsaw, Indiana. Click here for more.

One and a half years later – September 23, 1951 – Sandy had a little sister – Janice Ann Unrue.

On February 1, 1954, David Michael Unrue was added to the Unrue clan. Not sure if Janice (above) was happy about becoming the middle child!

The Unrues lived at 1504 E. Center Street in Warsaw (as it appears today – above left) from 1950 to 1960.

The family then moved to Goshen, Indiana, living at 1512 S. 8th Street (above) for two years (1960-1962) before moving to a newly-built home (below) on Marydale Drive in unincorporated Elkhart in 1962. Click here for more.

It’s here, in Elkhart, where Sandy’s youngest sister, Kristin Karole Unrue, was born on July 17, 1964. Click here for more on Sandy’s high school and college years.

When Sandy left home to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (1968-1972), there were special occasions when the Unrue family would travel north to visit her. Here (above & below) are some great pics from Sandy’s 21st birthday in 1971. Click here for more.

Click here to listen to Sandy’s Senior Vocal Recital – April 23, 1972

The Unrues came to Iowa City in 1976! Be careful playing cards with ‘snake-eye’ Jack!

Pictured with Sandy is her grandmother – **Mary Holm**. She was assigned to the **Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Ft. Wayne, Indiana** (below) from 1948-1950. She was one of those fortunate souls who experienced the hard life of a TB Sanatorium, but recovered and went on to live a productive life until 1996 – passing into glory at the ripe old age of 96. Read more about TB Sanatoriums here.

June 2019 – Lavonne’s 90th Birthday Bash in Indianapolis.

Sadly, in 1987, Jack was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He continued his work with Miles Laboratory for a short period, while LaVonne continued her job as an office administrator in the Elkhart Public Schools. Jack passed on June 18, 1994 and is buried in Violett Cemetery in Goshen. LaVonne retired early to assist with Jack, and in 2002, sold their home in Elkhart, returning to Goshen, where she still lives today.

Over the years, Sandy & I continue to make regular trips to Goshen to visit Lavonne. She remains an active member of her long-time Lutheran church home there and gets around very nicely – one amazing 93-year old at the time of this writing in 2022!

Here’s Sandy and her mom with two of Sandy’s cousins from Warsaw – Pam and Shelley.

In March of 2022, Sandy & I made a road trip from LaVonne’s home in Goshen over to Elkhart to visit two former Unrue homes. On the left is their home on Marydale Drive (1962-1977), and on the right is 59274 Parkshore Drive (1977-2002). This trip to Goshen also gave opportunity for the talented artist, LaVonne Unrue, to sign a few more of her colorful creations – a Boller family favorite from Grandma Great!

I find it so interesting that Sandy spent a good portion of her younger years in and around Goshen, Indiana – where my ggg grandfather, George F. Boller, spent his final years (1860-1877). As a matter of fact, when Sandy’s mom moved back into Goshen in 2002, she found a nice townhome (above left) that is located less than five miles from Clinton Union Cemetery – George’s burial site!