Keith Munson

KEITH C. MUNSON 1922 – 2008

It is with a sense of loss that UURMaPA and the UUA inform you of the death of the Reverend Keith C. Munson. He died February 5, 2008 from pneumonia contracted while he was hospitalized after a fall. He was 85.

Mr. Munson was born on November 1, 1922 to J. Ray and Aletha Munson in Presque Isle, Maine. He graduated from Tufts University in 1944 and from the Crane Theological School of Tufts University in 1946. Mr. Munson married Marguerite (Peggy) Hanson on February 18, 1945. Mrs. Munson, who had Alzheimer’s, died on February 17, 2008, just 12 days after her husband.

Mr. Munson was ordained by the Annisquam Village Church Universalist, Gloucester, MA on July 28, 1946 and served the Annisquam congregation for several years. Following his service at Annisquam, Mr. Munson served congregations in Palmer, Springfield, and Andover, MA. In Springfield, he established a Fellowship in 1955 which received church status in 1959. He then moved to Cherry Hill, NJ, followed by ten years at the United First Parish Church (Unitarian) of Quincy, MA. Some highlights of his ministry in Quincy were he and Mrs. Munson hosting then Governor and Mrs. Michael Dukakis and members of the Adams family at the Bicentennial Celebration in 1976. In 1978, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring John Hancock and in 1985 issued a stamp to honor Abigail Adams. Again, Mr. and Mrs. Munson and the Quincy church hosted these celebrations.

While in Quincy, Mr. Munson chaired The Board of Supervisors of The Woodward School for Girls. Under his leadership, the school celebrated the reinstatement of its certification by The State Board of Education. In 1983, the City of Quincy awarded him a plaque for his services to the school and for the years he organized special events on United Nations Sunday. When he retired in 1985, Mr. Munson was made an Honorary Citizen of Quincy. He was also honored by the Quincy congregation as Minister Emeritus.

Mr. Munson was a member of the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers Association for eight years, serving as President for four years. An avid sailor, Mr. Munson took many trips on his beloved Galatea, a 36-foot Pearson Pilothouse. In 1990, he and Mrs. Munson completed an eight month sailing trip along the east coast from Maine to Florida and back again. He also loved to read, enjoying works of non-fiction as well as stories about sailing. Mr. Munson was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco and Biddeford, Maine, at the time of his death.

Survivors include his daughter Carolyn (Lynn) Cashman and husband, Dr. William Cashman, of Cork, Ireland and their three children and his son, Bruce Munson and wife, Cindi Shapiro, of Beverly, MA, and their three children.

In addition to the above I would like to add that the Reverend Mr Munson was a member of the renowned Humiliati – in the picture above he is the person standing at the extreme right (not where he usually found himself). He was also a revered member of the Fraters of the Wayside Inn.