Thomas E. Munson

THOMAS EDWIN MUNSON - March 18, 1930 – April 26, 2020 1930 – 1950 Born March 18, 1930 in Philadelphia, PA to Steve and Marguerite (Wesch). Moved to Detroit when he was 2. Parents opened Munson Cleaners on Six Mile east of Livernois. His brother, Jim, was born in 1937. Attended Haley Grade School and Redford H.S. Learned to ski on wooden skis with bear trap bindings (skied until age 88). Attended MSU for 2 years. Married Ruth Wise in 1949. 1950 – 1980 Four children by the time he was 25: Cathy, Michael, Carolyn and Cindy. Learned to fly and flew for 30 years. Built Munson Cleaners in Lathrup Village. Raced a Triumph sports car that he crashed into a wall suffering a concussion. He then raced a Corvette but decided this was not a good sport for a man with four children. Raced dirt bikes. Started jogging – later gave up jogging and climbed the Town Center Building 3 days a week (twice each visit) for a total of 180 flights every week (when he was in town) until 2017. Coached little league baseball. Instrumental in the financing and construction of the Lathrup Village Swim Club. President of the Institute of Drycleaners. Bought a white school bus, which he converted to an RV and named “Pachydermous” (3 more school buses followed). Bought a 1947 Flexible bus, converted it to an RV. Drove it until 1994. He was proud of that old bus. Bought Tuffy Muffler franchises in Michigan and Ohio. Volunteered as ski instructor and guide for Optical Illusions, an organization for the sight impaired. Skied in Portillo, Chili. 1980 – 2000 Gave up flying and bought his first and only sailboat, a 39’ Erickson which he named Black Diamond. 1983 Qualified to become a member of the Great Lakes Singlehanded Society after finishing his first solo Port Huron to Mackinac Challenge in 1983. Presided as president in 2002. Also joined the Doublehanded Sailing Society and raced their yearly Port Huron to Roger City race many of them with his son, Michael. Also did many crewed Mackinac races with family and friends. Became an instructor in the Thunderbird Ski Club and and raced with their ski team. 1985 Joined Sailing Singles, where he met his future wife, Barbara. He taught her how to sail and ski along with numerous other Sailing Single members. 1987 Skied Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains in British Columbia. 1989 – 1991 Took December and March ski trips to Colorado each year and sailed all summer. Chartered a sailboat for a week in the Virgin Islands. 1992 After 18 years as a single man, Tom married Barbara. They spent their honeymoon out west skiing, cross-country skiing and visiting many of the National Parks. Became owner of Terra Guardian, an environmental cleanup company. 1994 The old Flex died but was followed by a National, a Sportcoach and a Coachman Mirada 1996 Was asked to help crew a sailboat to Plymouth, England. Stopped for a week in the Azores on the way. Barbara retired and joined him in Plymouth and they toured England before flying home. 1997 Skied Mt. Blanc in France. A guide was required to lead us around the crevices. Took a road trip in the fall across Quebec from Labrador City to Churchill Falls to Happy Valley/Goose Bay on the Transcontenintal Highway (a gravel road). Took a passenger/car ferry from Happy Valley to the Maritime Islands (an overnight trip). Toured the Maritimes and returned by ferry to the U.S. 1998 Started biking which led to bike trips in Austria (1998), Ireland, (1999) Croation Islands (2000), France (2001), Italy (2002) and Holland (2006). Stopped to tour Iceland on the way home from Holland. 1999 Another trip sailing in the Virgin Islands. Spent a week cruising in a houseboat on Lake Powell, Utah. 2001 Finished his final (and 13th) Port Huron to Mackinac Solo Race. Camped, hiked and canoed for a week on the Green River in Utah. 2002 Joined the Great Lakes Yacht Club on beautiful Lake St. Clair. 2003 Spent a week down in the Grand Canyon whitewater rafting and camping on the Colorado River. 2004 Took a five week trip in the motor home following the Lewis and Clark trail across the country to California, then south to San Diego, then back east visiting many points of interest along the way. 2007 - 2020 One of two key individuals in the creation of the Lake Erie Solo Challenge which added the fourth great lake to the Great Lakes Singlehanded Society’s yearly schedule. Numerous ski trips to Colorado and Utah usually accompanied by family and/or friends Ski trips, RV trips and sailing – what a life! A LIFE WELL LIVED AND A MAN WELL LOVED! Please share a memory of Tom on his Tribute Wall.