Michael Munz

Michael Alfred Munz

April 2, 1943, to December 30, 2024

Michael ("Mike") Alfred Munz, age 81, died in West Virginia while doing one of the things he loved most, taking a road trip. Mike was born to Herbert Munz and Dorothy Troy Munz, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up there, graduating from Saint Thomas More High School. The third of five brothers, he enjoyed recounting their many adventures together in West Philly.

Soon after high school, Mike enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he became an electronics technician and sonar operator in an air squadron that patrolled the Bering Sea. While stationed mostly in the Aleutian Islands, he survived a serious plane crash, at least one emergency landing, and the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964. He also made several lifelong friends with whom he enjoyed keeping in touch right up to the end of his life.

While living in Seattle, after being honorably discharged from the Navy, Mike met Karen Van Hoose of Mount Vernon, Washington. They were married in December 1967. Soon after their wedding, Mike and Karen moved back to the Philadelphia area, where their children were born and where Mike finished college at Kutztown University, with a degree in Economics. One of his daughter's earliest memories is of his college graduation ceremony.

Mike and Karen moved back to Washington in 1977. After raising their children in Lake Stevens, they lived in many other places in Washington and Pennsylvania. In their 50s, Mike and Karen also fulfilled their dream of living on the road, retiring early and taking two nearly year-long trips around the United States. They traveled and lived in a Volkswagen Eurovan camper during the first trip and in an RV during the second trip.

Always one to try new things, Mike had a variety of careers and jobs. This included several different positions at Penn Mutual, Blue Cross, and Regence Blue Shield, installation and repair of barcode equipment and systems, financial planning, and miscellaneous jobs such as delivering equipment for Brim Tractor and chauffeuring the residents of a retirement home.

Mike was grateful for his jobs, but his passions were his family and friends, traveling the country by car (especially the long scenic routes), enjoying the outdoors, classical music, and oil painting. He was a prolific landscape and still-life painter, preferring an impressionist style influenced by Claude Monet. Many of his friends and family members have at least one of his paintings hanging in their homes.

Mike made friends easily, as he was never shy about offering conversation, assistance, or a seat at his table. He was an unflagging supporter of his wife and children. He spent the last years of his and Karen's lives lovingly caring for her as her health declined.

Mike is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and an infant son. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Julie and Stuart Kumasaka; son Michael G. Munz, granddaughter Jenna; brothers Herb (Barbara), Tom (Carol), Joe (Gale), and Frank; sisters-in-law Patti (Scott) and Pam; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Deferring to Mike's preferences, no memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring him with a donation to the American Cancer Society, a veterans-support charity, or your favorite arts organization, or by simply toasting him with a hearty glass of Italian red wine or a big scoop of chocolate ice cream.