Carl Julian Unger

He was born on October 6, 1942, in Joliet, Illinois, to Harold and Josephine Unger.  Carl grew up in downtown Chicago, where he played baseball in the alleys with a stick for a bat and trash cans as bases.  Later, he attended Marion College in Indiana, where he met Cecelia Bess.  They were married on September 2, 1961, and raised three children.  As an insurance executive, Carl and his family moved around between Indiana, Illinois, California, and Iowa. Upon retiring to Florida, Carl became an active member of his neighborhood by serving on the Board of Directors and managing the community dining room. He was also active in the Reasons to Believe Chapter of Tampa Bay. 

Many of you reading this considered him one of your greatest friends. He had a special way of making you feel loved and appreciated. He knew what questions to ask and intentionally listened more than he talked. He wrote books for family and friends about his faith in the Lord and how the Bible and science supported each other. He dove into deep conversations about politics, especially late at night over coffee and pie. He understood well that the little things are the big things, that family is most important, that you should wake up for the sunrise and stay up for the moon. He made everything fun. All those buckets of popcorn at the movies, the pursuit of an authentic Chicago dog, and sleeping overnight on the lawn of the National Mall in D.C. before a patriotic rally. He always had a twinkle in his eye. We all came to him for advice because he was quite simply the wisest man we knew. He wasn't perfect, and yet, he was.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Cecelia Unger of Brooksville, FL; daughter, Kellie (Doug) Hoch of Brooksville, FL; sons, Mark (Regina) Unger of Churubusco, IN, and Chris Unger of Noblesville, IN; 11 grandchildren, Scott (Jen), Stacie (Charles), Jon, Ashley, Bret, Kurt, Luke, Cortney, Donna, Kyle, and Walt; 3 great-grandchildren, Aleasia, Lincoln, and Georgia; sisters, Katherine Warner and Alice (Bill) Snow, and brother, Steve (Lynnsey) Unger. He is preceded in death by his daughter-in-law Anne Unger.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, at 10 o'clock at the Brooksville Wesleyan Church, 22319 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville, FL, 34601.  The Service will be live streamed on the church website.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Village Partners, Wesleyan Village, 8225 Wesley Drive, Brooksville, FL, 34601.

"The only valuable things you really have are your good memories." -Carl Unger, May 20, 2018

ARRANGEMENTS BY

MERRITT FUNERAL HOME

BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA

(352)796-6699

"Family Owned & Operated"

www.merrittfuneral.com