Ken Unger

Ken Unger was always searching for ways to further the Kingdom of God. He published a catalog of spiritual books and spoke of Christ-themed movies he was working to produce right up until cancer of the esophagus stole his booming voice in his final days in hospice.

One of his favorite stories was how his blind mother, Lucille, chose to carry him full term instead of having an operation that could have saved her vision but would have ended her pregnancy. She chose him and sacrificed her own sight.

Growing up in Shaker Heights in the 1960's, he sang in a teenage rock band; and went on to promote rock concerts at Ashland University – signing the band “Chicago” to perform before they hit it big. After graduating from Ashland Theological Seminary, he ran coffee houses during the “Jesus movement,” including in Geneva on the Lake and in the prison where Shawshank Redemption was filmed.

His first job as lead pastor was at a Methodist church in Plymouth, Ohio, where he met his wife Barb and started his family. He later branched off to start a small non-denominational church named One Life Ministries in the mid 1980’s, at a time when he was active with the Right-to-Life movement. Throughout his 20-years as a pastor he led Saturday night services, wrote and taught on discipleship, and held retreats across the country on healing emotional pain.

Over the years, Ken researched a great number of conspiracy theories, secret societies, global orders, and threats to humankind. He enjoyed challenging mainstream world views and traditional Western medicine. He did not believe that politics and religion should be avoided at dinner parties.

Ken moved to California in 1998, pursuing lifelong desires of being a filmmaker and producer. For his final 28 years, while chasing his Hollywood dreams from Los Angeles, he continued to write, counsel, and speak at churches. He never missed an opportunity to pray with a friend.

Though his bout with cancer was relatively quick, it afforded his family and many close friends final opportunities for fellowship. Ken is survived by his four children – Christian Unger (Melissa), Seth Unger (Bridget), Kelly Willits (Darian), and Heather Hudson (Chris), and his former wife Barbie Foster - and their 13 grandchildren.

Ken’s family is planning a celebration of life ceremony in Northeast Ohio at a date and location to be determined. In lieu of flowers or donations, please call or visit a family member who you don’t talk to enough and tell them that you love them and that whatever happened in the past is water under the bridge.