Memorial
Joseph H. Munson, Jr., 91, of Marion, Iowa, passed away July 16th, 2016, at Northbrook Manor Care Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a result of a stroke and complication of advance age.
A funeral service will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4300 Trail ridge Rd, SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. A visitation will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids, the family will receive relatives and friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., on Tuesday, July 19, 2016. Burial will follow at Cedar Memorial Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa following the service.
Joe was born on July 17, 1924, in Galva, Illinois to Joseph H. Munson Sr. and Thelma Viola Wickey. He was the eldest of eight children and spent most of his young life near Joy, Illinois. During his later teen years he worked with his father in Nebraska. During that time he met Marian Tharp and they were soon married on June 30, 1943, at Clay Center, Nebraska. During their fifty-nine years of marriage, they raised three daughters, Sandra, Sharon and Chris. Marian preceded him in death on November 28, 2002. On May 1, 2004, he married Norma Lee (Smith) Munson in Cedar Rapids. They moved to Illinois in 2006.
Throughout his life he worked with the railroad, with Russell Miller Feed Warehouse as a cross-county semi driver. In the late 1960’s he owned and operated a Texaco Station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa before joining Donaldson Construction Company; later known as Energy Economics Inc., laying and repairing gas lines across the United States.
He is survived by his wife, Norma; daughters, Sandra (Bob) Pitts of Marion, Iowa; Sharon (Bill) Coons of Springville, Iowa and Chris (Jim) Merulla of Newton, Iowa; eleven grandchildren, 25, great-grandchildren; brother, Sampson “Bud” Munson of Keithsburg, Illinois; sisters, Patsy (Lonnie) Peterson and Cookie (Jerry) Olson of Joy, Illinois; three step-children, Brett (Donna) Munson, Sue Munson and Julie (Dave) Munson; several step grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Thelma Munson, his first wife, Marian Munson, brother, Charles “Chub” Munson, sisters, Thelma “Till” Burton, Judy Hunt, Dorothy Dixon and Zona Davison, granddaughter, Tammy Coons, grandson, David Pitts and step great-grandson, Jaxson Dodson.
Joe was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Memorials may be directed to the family.