Frances Adams Unger Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Frances Adams Unger, age 100, died peacefully under the care of Blue Ridge Hospice on Saturday, February 18, 2017. She was born on January 26, 1917 in Gainesboro, VA to Ernest Washington Adams, Sr. and Mary Virginia Larrick Adams. She attended Gore High School. Frances married Vernon B. Unger on December 7, 1940 in Jefferson County, MD at the Lutheran Parsonage. Vernon died on June 27, 1993. She was his faithful caregiver until the very end. Frances and Vernon had one daughter, Frances (Fran - Beekee) Unger Ring, (husband Tom – Frances’ “favorite” and only S.I.L.) of Stephens City, VA, two grandchildren, Julie K. Ring of Stephens City, and Matthew T. Ring (wife Hannah) of Tupelo, MS, and four precious great-grandsons, Matthew II, Tyler, Asher James and Myles all of Tupelo. She leaves behind her special friend, Leon Sparks, and three wonderful care-givers – Joyce, Sandy and Denise. She has many nieces and nephews on the Adams and Unger sides of the family. She was predeceased by three brothers, Marcus Monroe Adams, Sr., Ernest Washington Adams, Jr. and Thomas Garland Adams. The Adams family has been life-long residents of the Gainesboro/Winchester area. Frances was a life-time member of Old Bethel United Methodist Church, the Albin Homemakers Club, the Fort Loudoun Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Shenandoah Region Antique Car Club. She was honored in 2012 by the Fort Loudoun Chapter DAR as its first Honorary Regent. She was the oldest congregant of the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging (Senior Center) and attended the Frederick County Center for 32 years.She was a breast cancer survivor – taking herself when she was 90 years old to radiation treatments. She also attended the Grace Brethren Church and Fellowship Bible Church with her family. As a young girl, Frances enjoyed exploring the hills of Gainesboro and making mud pies in Hogue Creek. She also knew how to work, helping her mother by cooking and making bread to feed the thrashers and other farm hands whom helped make hay in the summer. They also made their own soap, butchered and washed their clothes on the washboard. Cleaning out the chicken coop was not a favorite chore.She was an active 4-H leader and loved to sew on her treadle sewing machine. She grew up with the Unger sisters, Evelyn, Hilda, Mary and Kate and was introduced to her future husband, Vernon, by knowing them. Frances and Vernon were married 52 years before he passed away. Frances and Vernon worked very hard to make a living. They operated the Pure Oil Station in Winchester. Frances did inventory and kept the books for their station. Vernon also operated a trucking company and they owned and operated Unger’s Angus House at Sunnyside in the 1950’s – 1970’s. In 1943 when Vernon was drafted at age 32 and went to Germany for WWII, Frances worked at Woolworth’s in Winchester. Frances and Vernon wrote to each other faithfully while he was overseas. They were apart for 36 months. Frances was a loving care-giver to many. She had the gifts of mercy and hospitality. She loved to travel and planned coast to coast excursions to visit many “cousins” with whom she had connected. She had a great love for genealogy and her mind was full of information on family history. She was named for her aunt, Frances Belle Larrick Adams, and treasured the family information that Aunt Frances kept so beautifully. Frances and Vernon traveled to many areas of the country in their antique cars. The 1927 Packard Touring car was their favorite. One memorable trip was to Plains, Georgia when Jimmy Carter was President of the United States. They participated in the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Parade and enjoyed taking celebrities in their antique cars. Frances demonstrated her love for the Lord Jesus Christ by trusting Him as her Savior and loving her family that He gave to her. She always had a smile and a quick wit. She never met a stranger and was always trying to “connect” them to the family tree. She was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. She will be greatly missed. At her request the family will receive friends on Wednesday, February 22, from 9:30 – 11:00 A.M. at Fellowship Bible Church 3217 Middle Road, Winchester. A Celebration of her life will be held immediately following the visitation at 11:00 o’clock with Pastor Jerry Harpool and Pastor Carl Chapman officiating. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers please remember Frances by loving your family as she so wonderfully did. Donations in her memory may be made to the Frederick County (Senior Center) – SAAA, P.O. Box 428 Stephens City, VA 22655. The family wishes to thank all of her many friends and family who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, a very special milestone in her life. The words of the Apostle Paul are appropriate in Philippians 1:21 when he writes “for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”.

Frances Adams Unger

January 26, 1917 - February 18, 2017