Cecelia Chloe Unger

Cecelia Chloe (Bess) Unger, 83, of Brooksville, Florida, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on December 8, 2023. She was born on October 15, 1940, in Alva, Oklahoma, to Rev. Marion and W. Irene (Cockrell) Bess. Cecelia and her two older sisters grew up in churches throughout Oklahoma and Kansas. In her own words, she was a rebel – roller skating between the pews and secretly changing out of her nylon stockings and into bobby socks on her way to school.

Later, she attended Marion College in Indiana, where she met Carl Unger. Within a month of dating, they were engaged. They married a few months later on September 2, 1961, in Clay Center, Kansas. Together, they raised three children while moving between Indiana, Illinois, California, and Iowa. At one time, Cecelia worked at a bank in downtown Chicago, and later sold makeup for BeautiControl. After she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Cecelia and Carl moved from Indiana to the Brooksville Wesleyan Village in Florida.

Cecelia battled Alzheimer’s for nearly 23 years. Before her diagnosis, she was an excellent cook. At this time of year, she would have been busy making Christmas cookies and ornaments with her grandchildren. She was a social butterfly, often hosting parties out of their beautiful home. She also played the piano and had a gorgeous singing voice. When she was younger, she sang in a traveling trio with her sister Donna. Cecelia also loved to travel with her family. She had a beautiful faith in the Lord. She was kind, patient, and full of joy. Her face would glow with that world-class smile of hers. Even though her memories faded, her spark and sweetness never did.

Cecelia is survived by her daughter, Kellie (Doug) Hoch of Brooksville, FL; sons, Mark (Regina) Unger of Churubusco, IN, and Chris Unger of Noblesville, IN; 11 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Carl Unger; daughter-in-law, Anne Unger; her sisters, Donna Bess and Rosalie Wright; and parents, Marion and Irene Bess.

Memorial donations can be made to the Village Partners, Wesleyan Village, 8225 Wesley Drive, Brooksville, FL, 34601.