Monica Ruhl Kinnel

Monica Ruhl Kinnel, perhaps the oldest citizen in Union County to have been born here, passed away in her natal home on January 31, 2012. Born June 2, 1908 to Maude Gaskill Ruhl and Harry Ruhl near Alicel she was raised and lived most of her life on the family ranch.

The three great, great grandchildren who will see pictures of themselves held in her arms will be awed that she had a family of her own before the ranch had electricity, or a tractor, that water came from a well powered by a windmill. Monica was aware of the events that would become landmarks of our countries history such as World War One, The Great Depression, the attack on Pearl Harbor and ensuing World War Two that took many of her farm's workers; but her focus would be on her family. To Monica life was an adventure, hunting and fishing and riding horses with her brother Charles who preceded her in death in 1945. She trapped mink and muskrats along Grande Ronde River with her mother and later with her youngest daughter in order to buy impractical things.

In 1930 Monica married Robert Kinnel and began the next adventure by taking over the ranch and raising three daughters, Suzanne, Joanne and Sharon. She admitted that raising children was a blur, but that her girls grew to be her best friends. After the loss of her young husband in 1955 Monica managed the farm until her youngest daughter Sharon and her husband Bob Beck took over the operation. This allowed her time for her next great adventure of teaching her grandchildren to camp, hunt and fish and travel. Monica traveled the world with her daughter Joanne Cornelius and the west from Canada to Mexico with her grandchildren. Her grandchildren became her best friends, as they had the time and inclination for adventure. She was grandson Rob's "best man" when he married Tish.

Adventures sometimes include sadness and hers was that she outlived her daughter Suzanne Scroggin and husband Charles and two of her grandchildren Bryon Sweet and Jann Scroggin; but with her innate ability to live in the present she found great joy in spending time with her surviving grandchildren, Mike and Brad Sweet, Jeff and Kathy Scroggin, Rob and Tish Beck, Christi and John Brown and Tracy Cavin, the many great-grandchildren and other relatives and a huge cadre of extended family and friends.

Monica hosted a gala on her hundredth birthday in order to enjoy the celebration of her life with family and friends and preclude any celebrations after she has gone on to her next great adventure.

In lieu of sending flowers or making contributions go on adventure of your own and think of Monica.

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