Munson's Mead Hall - Gene Munson in the Sedona Red Rock News

It's hard to imagine life in Sedona without Gene Munson. A civic-minded, soft-spoken visionary, Munson arrived in this small community in the mid- 1950s. After more than a half century dedicated to improving life in his adopted home, Munson died May 27 at the age of 94.

Munson's help was fundamental in the creation of the Sedona Cultural Park, the Sedona Public Library and the Humane Society of Sedona.

"He was a legend; he just didn't know it," said Tommy "TJ" Jones, a friend and local talk show host. Both Jones and Munson were members of the Mavericks, a thinking man 's discussion group that met monthly over breakfast for what Munson liked best: conversation.

Munson's son Bob explained it was his father's background as an industrial engineer and his appetite for new interests like horses, classic automobiles, construction, real estate and world politics that fueled his father's loquacious tendencies.

"My father could talk to anyone about anything," said Bob Munson. "He had an interesting spin on almost any subject."

Munson also knew how to use conversation, his engineer's intellect, and a passion for culture as means to facilitate the development of projects that would later enrich the lives of everyone in Sedona.

"He was 20 years ahead of his time," said Dan Schay, the first executive director of the Sedona Cultural Park.

"Gene saw Sedona as a place of unparalleled natural beauty. To him, it was only appropriate for Sedona to have the finest cultural opportunities and the finest examples of human expression."

As one of the first people to articulate a vision for a performing arts venue in Sedona, Munson watched a generation grow up as he waited for his dream to become a reality.

"By that time he was well into his 80s," Schay said, "but while others took more active roles, we always looked to Gene for his original vision and wisdom."

It was the essence of Munson's rich personality that local artist Joyce Killebrew labored to capture in a bronze bust now proudly displayed at the Sedona Public Library, a facility that also owes a debt to Munson 's tenacious dedication to the community.

"He was a great believer in education," said Munson 's son Richard, explaining how his father relinquished an option on the land where the library now sits after learning the facility was in need of a new home.

"And because he wasn't one to toot his own horn," added Killebrew, "I wanted to do this bust so people would know how much he loved Sedona."

A longtime friend of Killebrew, Munson would later walk the artist down the aisle at her wedding. But first, she said, he made sure she had a future in the world of fine arts. "He bought one of my first pieces, helped get me into a gallery and encouraged me along the way," Killebrew said. "Gene was my mentor and one of my best friends."

Munson also befriended those in the community who were dedicated to preserving the opportunities for abandoned and lost animals by securing the land for the Humane Society of Sedona.

"He loved animals and felt they should be protected," Richard Munson said. "My father firmly believed in service and strove to make the world a better place."

For members of his family, Munson certainly made life worth living. Married to his first wife, Carolyn, for more than half a century, Munson met and later married Ollie Howard off the coast of Maui in 1997.

"It was a love affair made in heaven," said Ollie. "When Gene and I got together, both of us came alive."

To his sons, Munson leaves a legacy both men say they are proud to honor.

"My father is a tough act to follow," Bob Munson said. "He had such supreme optimism. No matter how grim something was, he would find a way to live with it or view it as an opportunity."

"He felt he should leave the world better for him being there," Richard Munson said. "Dad had a dedication to service and community."

To his friends, Munson was a modest man in a bolo tie with a mission to make Sedona one of the best places to live in Northern Arizona.

A private family service will be held for Gene Munson. His survivors include his wife, Ollie; two sons, Bob and Richard; a daughter-in-Law, Jenifer; and five grandchildren: Eric, Chandra, Haidee, Leif and Dawn.

Red Rock News Obituary Entry:

Eugene Munson
Eugene S. "Gene" Munson, 94, a resident of Sedona, died May 27. Born in Chicago, Mr. Munson graduated from the University of Iowa. Privately employed his entire adult life as a consulting industrial engineer, he did work for the U.S. government during World War II.

Mr. Munson moved to Arizona from California in 1955 after his retirement. He was active in the establishment of the Sedona Cultural Park. Mr. Munson is survived by his wife, Ollie Howard Munson; sons Richard Gene Munson and Robert Wayne Munson; and five grandchildren.

The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Sedona, the Sedona Cultural Park or the Sedona Public Library. Arrangements were handled by Sedona Funeral Home.