Lester Lloyd Unruh

Lester (Les) Loyd Unruh, 93, of Harrisonville, Missouri, died September 19 at Crown Care Center in Harrisonville MO.

He was born July 19, 1933, in Great Bend, Kansas. He was the second of three sons to Arline and Frances Unruh. He graduated from Great Bend High School in Great Bend, KS.

He married Carma L McClelland, a resident of Hutchinson, Kansas and had three children: Chyrell, Karen and Scott.

He was married to Bonnie Sprenz in 1988 of Kansas City, Missouri. They later moved to Harrisonville, Missouri.

Les served in the United States Naval Reserve & enjoyed a long career as a pastor, teacher and coach across a variety of settings and geographical areas.

After acquiring his ordination in the Nazarene Church, Les pastored several churches in Kansas. He was the paster at Minneapolis Church of the Nazarene in Minneapolis, KS. He also pastored the Church of the Nazarene in Kirwin, KS. He then began pastoring at the Lyons Church of the Nazarene in Lyons, KS while enrolling at Sterling College to complete his bachelor’s degree. While attending Sterling College, Les also played center on the football team and was selected as captain of the team.

After graduating from Sterling College, Les and his family moved to Emporia, Kansas where he began work on his master’s degree in education at Emporia State University. Upon graduating with his master’s degree, Les and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona to begin his full-time coaching at teaching at Phoenix Christian High School. The family attended Maryvale Church of the Nazarene.

After one year in Phoenix (1966), Les moved his family to begin teaching and coaching at Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University) in Bethany, OK. Les was the head coach of the baseball team at BNC and also served as an assistant and interim head coach for the football team at Bethany High School.

Upon completing 3 years of work at BNC (1969), Les, took a position as teacher and Head Football Coach at Paradise Valley High School (PVHS) in Phoenix, AZ. He also assisted with the boys’ basketball, baseball and track programs at PVHS. Les also served at the Maryvale Church of the Nazarene as Associate Pastor.

In 1973 Les became the first Head Football Coach at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, AZ. He taught history and social studies as well as establishing the football program at Chaparral.

Les returned to his Alma Mater in the summer of 1977 to be the Head Football Coach at Sterling College in Sterling, KS. After three years at Sterling College, he was hired as the Head Coach of the Wichita Flyers semi-professional football organization in Wichita, KS. He coached that team for two years.

In 1985 Les was appointed Head Football Coach at Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, KS. At Wyandotte, he also taught American History. He retired from teaching and coaching after 14 years with the Kansas City Kansas Public Schools.

Upon retirement from coaching, Les worked with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as a representative to high schools in the area to include Harrisonville High School.

Les served as the Board Secretary and Sunday School Teacher at the Harrisonville Church of the Nazarene for many years and up to his death.

He is preceded in death by his parents Arline Unruh and Frances Unruh. Also by his brother Ronald Unruh, Herbert (Herb) Unruh and infant child Curtis Alan Unruh.

He is survived by his wife Bonnie of Harrisonville, MO and his children, Chyrell Unruh of Fayetteville, AR, Karen Deal (Donald) of Bella Vista AR, and Scott Unruh (Nita) of Kearney, NE. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Patty Unruh of Lyons, KS as well as three step-sons Tom Sprenz of Las Vegas, NV, Mark Sprenz (Stacey) of NC, and Matt Sprenz (Susan) of Lee’s Summit, MO. His nephews Rodney McClelland & Roger McClelland, his nieces Linda Wilson (McClelland), Andrea Ingram (Unruh) & Mandy Unruh. Les had 9 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Funeral Service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 25, 2026 at Harrisonville Church of the Nazarene, Harrisonville, Missouri with interment at Freeman Cemetery, Freeman, Missouri. 

Visitation will be held 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 25, 2026 at Harrisonville Church of the Nazarene, Harrisonville, Missouri.