Father William "Bill" Glenn Munshower, age 88, of Indianapolis, Indiana passed away on Tuesday April 14, 2020. He was Ordained on May 3, 1958. Father Bill was born February 23, 1932 in Indianapolis, Indiana to the late Katherine (Ashcraft) Munshower and William Glenn Munshower. He is also preceded in death by his brother, Frank Forest Munshower; nephew, Bernard Delaney; and brother-in-law, Dick Delaney.
Father Bill began his education at Holy Cross Grade School. Soon he transferred to St. Anthony. He went to Cathedral High School where he was to be the student body president his senior year. While at Cathedral, he participated in a demonstration with other Cathedral students at Brown County State Park. At the time, everyone was admitted to the park, but black people were not allowed in the pool. So began his life long Christian goal of promoting social justice. In 1963 he went to The March on Washington to advocate for civil rights of African-Americans. After Cathedral he attended St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Two years later he would transfer to St. Meinrad to begin his priestly formation.
His assignments were to St. Paul, Tell City 1958; St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis 1971; chaplain of the Newman Center at Indiana State University, Terre Haute 1973; pastor at Holy Spirit, Indianapolis 1981; dean of Indianapolis East Deanery, administrator at St. Agnes, Nashville, continuing as pastor at Holy Spirit 1984; pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis 1994; chaplain at Cathedral High School, Indianapolis 2006; part-time sacramental minister at St. Andrew the Apostle, Indianapolis 2009 until he fully retired in 2015.
He loved classical music and traveling. A very avid student of learning, he was always reading about music, history, and geography. He traveled to Ethiopia to visit his brother, John, who was in the Peace Corps and he took a sabbatical to Italy in 1993. His beloved Ireland was a desired destination with his mother and sister. His friend Father Theo acted as his guide through India. He also made several trips to Europe with various groups, one time including his nieces, Jane and Becky.
Father Bill is survived by a large and mournful family who will miss him greatly including sister, Anne (Munshower) Delaney; brother, John Munshower (Marcia Ward); sister, Christine Munshower; sister-in-law, Eileen (Doherty) Munshower; nieces and nephews he was very fond and proud of, most he baptized, Maureen (Delaney) Simon (Joe), Rebecca (Delaney) Visconti (Frank), Shaleen (Delaney) Brewer (Bill), Justin Delaney (Marisol Zell), Kathleen (Munshower) Forte (Tony), Jane (Munshower) VerValin (Steve), Teresa (Munshower) Miller (Karl), Frank Munshower (Susan Meyers), Eric Munshower (Judy Kenney), Najla (Munshower) Neuman (Jon), Rachel (Munshower) Fox (Scotty), Juliette (Munshower) Tiriolo (Frank), William Glenn Munshower (Anjuli); niece-in-law, Jeanie (Peterson) Delaney; and 33 great nieces and nephews, most he baptized and will miss him dearly.
Father Bill was also close with cousins, John and Regina Leone, Barb and Steve Imel, Steve and Judy Ashcraft, Mary Kay McKibbin, Sue and Tom Marshall, and Jack Shea; Charlene Witka from the Cathedral Community; and three special ladies who have supported him over the years, Kitty Jenkins, Jeri Spaulding, and Marsha Bennet. He was also close with the Lukens and the Debonos and many other friends and family too numerous to mention.
Several virtual services have been held in his memory and Masses said daily by his fellow clergy. He will be laid to rest with a private service at Calvary Catholic Cemetery Priest's Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Father Bill's memory may be made to Saint Meinrad Archabbey, 200 Hill Dr, Saint Meinrad, Indiana 47577, https://www.saintmeinrad.edu/support-us or St. John's University, PO Box 2000, 2850 Abbey Plaza, Collegeville, Minnesota 56234, https://www.csbsju.edu/about/saint-johns-university.
The family would like to thank the staff of Westminster Village North for their kind care of Father Bill.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.feeneyhornakshadeland.com for the Munshower family.
