Colonel Harry Unger Jr. passed away suddenly on Nov. 23, 2020, in Ocala, Fla.
He was born on Oct. 9, 1930, in Bronx, N.Y., to Harry Unger Sr. and Helen Liberi.
He was preceded in death by his son, Harry Frederick Unger; his grandson, Frederick Harley Kennedy; and his sister, Vivian Lorraine Suarez.
Survivors include his wife, Cindy Burnette-Unger of Galax and Ocala, Fla.; his son, David Robert John Unger and wife, Vanessa, of Westchester, Pa.; his grandson, Nicholas Gentile and his mother, Lisa, of Pompano Beach, Fla.; one nephew, Richard (Dick) Suarez of Deltona, Fla.; one niece, Sandy Belinsky of Ocala, Fla.; and his loving dog, Peach.
Harry graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School, received his bachelor's degree in political science and history from New York University (NYU) where he served as editor of the Heights Daily, the NYU newspaper and was a member of the distinguished literary Society Quill.
He received his masters in law from Brooklyn Law School.
Amongst Harry's other achievements he was a Juilliard School of Music trained pianist and rose to the rank of Colonel in the United States Army and he later served as Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer in the Bronx detachment in New York.
In his working career, Harry was an attorney with the New York State Liquor Authority for 12 years, then with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles as a senior attorney in the position of Administrative Law Judge with the DMV until his retirement.
Harry devoted many hours of work to render free legal assistance at Fort Monmouth, Fort Dix and to the United States Coast Guard at Governor's Island in New York.
In his retirement years, Harry owned and operated a diner in Ararat, N.C., and was a Vista program volunteer with Western Carolina Center in Morganton, N.C.
Harry was a Mason with the Darcey Lodge #187 in Manhattan, a member of the Lodge of Perfection in White Plains, N.Y., where he was Thrice Potent Master and a member of Old Town Masonic Lodge #68 in Galax, Va.
Harry was a Shriner with the Kismit Temple in Long Island, N.Y., and Oasis Temple in Charlotte, N.C., and a member of Elkin-Jonesville Shrine Club and the Kaziem Temple Hillbillies in Galax, Va.
Harry enjoyed travel, playing piano and living between homes in Galax, Va., and Ocala, Fla.
Harry's funeral was conducted by Roberts Funeral Home Bruce Chapel West, and burial was in Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla.