Joseph Munson Jr.

JOSEPH H. MUNSON JR.

Marion

Joseph H. Munson Jr., 91, of Marion, passed away July 16, 2016, at Northbrook Manor Care Center in Cedar Rapids, as a result of a stroke and complications of advanced age.

A funeral service will be held at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4300 Trailridge Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids, at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 20. A visitation will be at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids, where the family will receive relatives and friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19. Burial will follow the service at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids.

Joe was born July 17, 1924, in Galva, Ill., 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, Ill. 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, Neb. During their 59 years of marriage, they raised three daughters, Sandra, Sharon and Chris. Marian preceded him in death on Nov. 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 and with Russell Miller Feed Warehouse as a cross-country semi driver. In the late 1960s, he owned and operated a Texaco station in Cedar Rapids before joining Donaldson Construction Co., 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, Sharon (Bill) Coons of Springville and Chris (Jim) Merulla of Newton; 11 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; brother, Sampson "Bud" Munson of Keithsburg, Ill.; sisters, Patsy (Lonnie) Peterson and Cookie (Jerry) Olson of Joy, Ill.; three stepchildren, Brett (Donna) Munson, Sue Munson and Julie (Dave) Munson; several stepgrandchildren; 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 stepgreat-grandson, Jaxson Dodson.

Joe was a faithful member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and 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.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.cedarmemorial.com, under obituaries.