Alden Vincent Munson

Alden Vincent Munson Jr. — long-time resident of Manhattan Beach — passed away on August 29, 2025, following complications from heart surgery.
Alden was born on April 9, 1942, in Kingsburg, California, where his mother and grandfather had also been born. He was the son of Alden and Marguerite (Rouch) Munson. The family later moved to Springville, California, near the family sawmill, and he spent much of his childhood in the mountains near Camp Nelson, where his family had a logging and development business. The family later moved to Visalia, where Alden attended Mount Whitney High School — playing both football and trombone — and then the College of the Sequoias.
He earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from San Jose State College, where he met his wife, Jane, and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. He also pursued advanced studies in computer science at UCLA and attended executive programs at Harvard and Stanford.
Alden began his career at The Aerospace Corporation in 1966. In 1973, he joined TRW, where he led several significant programs early in his tenure and later became Vice President of TRW's System Development Division. After retiring in 1997, he assumed senior leadership roles at Litton Industries.
In 2000, Alden was recognized as a Pioneer of National Reconnaissance by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) for his groundbreaking work in conceiving and developing a fully automatic electronic intelligence system. From 2007 Alden and Jane relocated to Northern Virginia for the next 3 years, where he served as Deputy Director for Acquisitions at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal in 2009.
Alden never fully "retired." He actively consulted in the intelligence community, served on numerous boards and committees, and mentored many. He thought very highly of his colleagues and became close friends with many of them.
Alden was a dynamic and passionate person. When he committed to something—whether in his career or personal interests (especially politics!)—he was all in. He was never shy about expressing his opinions, and his dry sense of humor added to his distinctive personality. He was a notable presence wherever he went.
He loved water-skiing with family and friends and spent many happy days on the Stockton Delta and camping at Tower Park. He had a lifelong passion for snow skiing and had already booked his heli-ski trip for next year. He especially loved his BTST Men's ski trips and, in recent years, delighted in sharing the slopes with his grandsons.
Alden also loved riding and working with model trains. He was a member of the Los Angeles Model Railroad Society. He and Jane enjoyed traveling and exploring many interesting places
with family and friends — New York City being one of their favorites. They especially loved attending musical theatre performances on and off Broadway.
Alden is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jane (Stewart); his daughter, Kathryn (Katie) Bechtel (Greg); his two adored grandsons, Max and Sam Bechtel; his sister, Marguerite (Pegi) Hover (Dick); and his brother, Charles, both of Visalia, along with many cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Kathryn Munson.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, November 7th, at 12:00 p.m. at the Manhattan Beach Community Church, 303 S. Peck Ave. Reception to follow.

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