Tobias Edgar Unruh (preferred name Edgar) was born in South Dakota. He began pharmaceutical work at the age of 14. He became a Seventh-day Adventist at the age of 20 and left his work to prepare himself for denominational employment. With no formal training as a teacher he was appointed to teach the church school in Rockyford, near Calgary, AB in 1920. He graduated in 1926 from Emmanuel Missionary College, and immediately was appointed to be principal of Hinsdale Sanitarium Academy. He served as education secretary in Michigan and the Lake Union Conference. In 1940 he was elected president of the Wisconsin Conference at a conference session when Elder Holden indicated that it would not be wise for him to consider re-election because of his health. While he was ordained to the gospel ministry when he became the education secretary for the Michigan conference, he had no pastoral experience.