Phillip William Unger
Phillip William Unger, 91, of Daleville, Virginia, left us peacefully on December 30, 2024.
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on April 20, 1933, Phil is preceded in death by his parents, Guy and Golda Unger, his wife of 43 years and mother of their children, Peggy Owen Unger, and his brothers: Warner, Guy, and Marvin Unger.
After graduating from E.C. Glass High School, Phil attended Virginia Tech on a football scholarship where his love for the Hokies began. He lettered in football, was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi and the German Club and graduated in 1956 with a BS degree in Business Administration.
After college, he served in our armed forces spending most of his time at the 7th Army Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.
Phil spent most of his well-respected business career with Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA, in various sales assignments that moved him across the United States. He returned to the home office in Lancaster and ultimately retired from Armstrong as the Vice President of Building Materials Operations. In Lancaster, he was a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder, and he also served as President of the Easter Seal Society Board.
After retiring from Armstrong, Phil accepted a position as President/CEO of the Alliance International Group based in Norcross, GA, where he worked until officially retiring at Fair Oak in Charlottesville, VA, in 1992.
After meeting and marrying his wife Robbye King Unger in 2001, Phil moved to Blacksburg, VA, where the two shared a love of the Hokies.
Phil was a wonderful Christian man and proud patriot, well-known for writing passionate letters to the editor about politics. He loved to paint landscapes and was an avid gardener who created beautiful yardscapes. He had a strong interest in the Civil War and the collection of its artifacts. His love of VT sports was shared with his family, and he attended many games in his lifetime including football, basketball, baseball, and softball.
He is survived by his wife, Robbye Unger of Daleville, VA, his sister Dottie Morcom of Forest, VA, his two daughters: Susan Payne (John) of Pawleys Island, SC, and Leslie Hayden (Bill) of Vinton, VA, his grandchildren: Michelle Tolbert of Charlotte, NC, Kristen Smith (Steve) of Huntersville, NC, Will Hayden of Christiansburg, VA, and Drew Hayden (Delaney) of Middletown, CT, and four great grandchildren: Ella, Beau, Cooper, and Palmer.
A service to celebrate Phil’s life will be held on January 4th at 2:00 pm at the Rader Funeral Home, 630 Roanoke Road, Daleville, VA. The family will receive those in attendance following the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gideon’s International, Roanoke Valley Camp, PO Box 7472, Roanoke, VA, 24019.
