Eileen Unger

Eileen Marie (Kogl) Unger was born on July 16, 1938, south of Herndon, Kansas. She was the fourth of five children born to Clemens J. and Alvina A. (Nehring) Kogl. She entered eternal life on January 23, 2022, at the age of 83 following a mighty battle against a long-time illness.

Eileen attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and graduated salutatorian from Herndon High School in 1956. To her friends and family, she was known as Toots.

On July 27, 1957, she married her one true love, Charles Edward Unger, at the Assumption of Mary Catholic Church (St. Mary’s) in Herndon, and they made their home on a farm north of town for almost 65 years of marriage. To this union, six children were born. Eileen was a true farmwife and could hand milk a cow faster than the milking machine, ride a horse to move cattle, catch and tag baby calves, raise pigs, and drive truck during harvest.

Eileen was baptized into the Catholic faith at St. Mary’s where she received the sacraments of Confession, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation and Matrimony. She had a devout and strong faith, was an active member of the St. Mary’s Christian Mothers Altar Society, served on various church committees and taught CCD religious education. She especially enjoyed the friendship of the Casserole Club ladies.

Eileen loved to travel, including a trip to London, England. She loved to read and enjoyed trading books with her reading buddies. She was a tough competitor in cards and board games and was an avid football fan with her favorite teams being Kansas State and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Eileen is survived by her husband, Charles; her children and their spouses: Jeffrey James (Marilyn) Unger, Margaret “Peggy” Susan (Kent) Been, Dr. Beverly Ann (Tom) Zipfel, Pamela Marie Anderson, Karen Renee (Scott) Elliott, and Valerie Jo (Rob) Rogers; six grandchildren: Clarissa Unger, Nicholas Rogers, Andrew Rogers, Dr. Amy (Brian) Bennett, Matthew Zipfel, and Allison (Jonathan) Hislop; three great-grandchildren: Felicity, Christopher and Adelaide; siblings: Dorothy Reinert and Tom (Jean) Kogl; in-laws: James R. (Carole) Unger, Shirley Barenberg, Virgil (Cathy) Unger, and Roma (Bruce) Murdoch; many nieces and nephews, lifetime friend Myrna Pettera, special family friend and “little brother” Fr. Kerry Ninemire, as well as many neighbors and friends.

Eileen was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws Edmund and Bertha Unger; siblings Clemens (Rose Marie) Kogl and Melvin (Regis) Kogl; brothers-in-law Pete Reinert, Kenneth Unger, Larry Barenberg, and Jerry Wallman; nephew Gary Reinert and niece Marie Moore.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Herndon. A rosary will be prayed prior to the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Eileen Unger Memorial Fund for future gifts to be made by the family and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com