Tapan Munroe

Tapan Munroe

Dr. Tapan Munroe, of Davis, California and long-time resident of Moraga, California died peacefully on April 1st 2014 surrounded by family from complications of Parkinson's disease.

A former chief economist for PG&E and a onetime chairman of the economics department at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Munroe authored a twice-monthly business and economics column in the Contra Costa Times for over 20 years. He was also a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, Oakland Tribune and the Journal of Corporate Renewal. A sought after speaker and widely published writer, Tapan authored three books on the Silicon Valley, a book titled Closing America's Job Gap with coauthors Mary Walshok and Henry Devries, and his latest book with Dr. Raul Deju, Planet in Conflict: Balancing Energy Needs, Economic Growth, and Environmental Quality. Tapan also held the Kiriyama Distinguished Professorship for Asia Pacific Studies at the University of San Francisco in 1998-1999 and was a member of the Advisory Board of City National Bank in San Francisco for seven years.

Tapan was born on February 18, 1936 in Calcutta, India and attended the University of Allahabad, majoring in chemistry and physics. While visiting the U.S. in his early twenties, he met his wife, Astrid, a schoolteacher in San Francisco and they eventually wed in India. After working as a scientist at Xerox and then General Electric Company in New York for a few years, Tapan reconsidered his interests and pursued a Ph.D at the University of Colorado in Boulder where he studied under his mentor Kenneth Boulding.

Tapan enjoyed people immensely and befriended them easily. He had a passion for interesting conversation and exploring new ideas. Tapan served as an elder at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, a community he grew to know and love. He will be missed by many whose lives he touched.

He is survived by his loving, devoted wife of 55 years, Astrid Munroe, his daughter Leslie Baroody and her husband Malek of Davis, his son Peter Munroe and his wife Leticia of Monument, Colorado, his brother Milan Mukerjee of Allahabad India, his sister Lekha Banerjee of Calcutta, India, and grandchildren Joel Baroody, Jordan Baroody, and Claire Munroe.

Tapan's life will be celebrated on May 8th, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC) at 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to LOPC.