Obituaries
JOHN WILLIAM MICHAEL UNGER JR.
John William Michael Unger, Jr., age 69, of Little Rock, Arkansas, passed away at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock on March 4, 2024 after a brief fight with cancer. John was born to Lena Rivers (Roach) Unger and John William Unger, Sr., on June 11, 1954, in Danville, Illinois.
John spent his childhood years enjoying the small town life in Danville. He could mostly be found on the golf course or stirring up trouble with friends. He was an accomplished varsity golf athlete, a sport that he (mostly) enjoyed his entire life until his health no longer allowed. Unfortunately, both of his parents passed away when he was a teenager, but this led him to move to Arkansas, where he attended and graduated from Southern Arkansas University and then received his JD from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He became a life-long Razorback, moving from Fayetteville to El Dorado to Magnolia and finally Little Rock. John had a passion for the law and for writing and engaged both in writing hundreds of appellate briefs for attorneys from around the state. He believed in working hard and playing hard, and never hesitated to cook a favorite meal from scratch or spend hours in conversation over a good meal and a glass of wine. John was a lover of animals, rescuing likely hundreds of cats and dogs over his life. A helper by nature, he also loved a good discussion, especially about sports (his friends anxiously awaited his football weekend predictions) or politics (we will miss his musings this election year). John loved his children and grandchildren and reveled in their accomplishments.
John was preceded in death by his mother and father, a nephew, Johnny Unger, as well as his step-son, Chris Cranford. John is survived by his loving wife (“the little blonde woman”), Melissa; his brother, Pat Unger of Nashville, TN; his niece, Dusty (Tim) Calhoun of Little Rock; his children Ashley (Chris) Menendez of Fayetteville, Adriana (Heath) Stacey of Fayetteville, John (Kelly) Unger of Fayetteville, and Felicia Nicole Pendleton of Little Rock; his grandchildren, Kate Menendez, Annalise Stacey, Olivia Menendez, Whitman Stacey, Mary Virginia Stacey, Christopher Menendez, Gwendolyn Unger, Jack Stacey and Lena Unger of Fayetteville, Skyler Cranford of Greenwood, and Andrew Anderson of Little Rock.
John wished not to have a funeral service but asked that others buy a friend (or a stranger) a meal or offer a toast in his honor.
Memorial contributions can be made to Ozark Catholic Academy in Tontitown, AR, (www.OzarkCatholic.org/support) or to the Salvation Army of Little Rock (give.salvationarmyusa.org) or to the Pulaski County Humane Society (warmhearts.org).
Thank you to all of the nurses and doctors at Baptist Health that cared for John in his final days.