Gary Elroy Munson

Gary was born in St. Paul, Minnesota where his father worked as a printer for Brown and Bigelow and also managed a fox farm. Due to tough economic times, at age one, the family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His dad again managed a ten acre fox farm in the middle of corn and oat fields while simultaneously working for John Morrell Meat Co. making serum from pigs' blood. Gary walked a mile and a half each day to attend a typical one room school, sometimes using the fence line as a guide in snowy, stormy weather. The school typically had 12-15 students a year in all grades. Gary most vividly remembers lots of dust storms, drought, grasshoppers, and hot weather. He attended High School in Sioux Falls, taking his first job at the local Piggly Wiggly making 25 cents an hour, working up to a whopping 45 cents. His father became very ill due to unknown causes at the time. They didn't know if it was from the fox farm or the serum plant. Brand new on the market Penicillin was administered and saved his life. While his father was hospitalized, Gary ran the fox farm. Unable to continue to work at the serum plant, the family moved to Brainerd, MN where his father again managed a fox farm. Gary attended 10th through 12th grades in Brainerd. He was a good student, on the honor role, Senior Class Treasurer and on the Student Council. He tried football and track, but in his words "I was a lousy athlete!" He met his wife to be, Mary Anderson, as a Jr. in High School, but managed to take her best friend to the prom that year and Mary the following. Gary worked part time for National Tea grocery chain and there learned the meat cutting trade.

After graduating at age 17, Gary's parents signed for him to enter the military. He knew he needed the GI Bill to further his education. Gary completed anti aircraft training and was sent to Japan for a year in the Quarter Master Corp on an Island in Tokyo Bay doing "Occupation Duty.'' He completed military duty late in 1947. Starting Junior College in 1948, Gary got back in touch with his HS sweetheart Mary. He proposed to her in February of 1950 and they were married in June of that year. He completed his AA Degree in General Studies and made plans to attend St. Cloud Univ. (a Branch of the Univ. of MN). During Jr. College Gary joined the Army Reserves. He and his new wife were just settling in when he received orders to report for duty. The Korean War had broken out and he was recalled. He went to Ft. Lewis in Washington and Mary went home to her folks. 96 hrs of refresher courses landed Gary on a ship headed to Korea by way of Japan. Landing at Inchon aboard a landing craft. He was assigned to the 2nd Division Combat Engineers. 1950-51 Gary states as "The Worst Time of My Life!" Combat was fierce and they only had light weight uniforms in a very cold climate. Most wore everything they had and still froze. Land mines were the scariest of all. Coming home in 1951 much more mature than when he left, Gary again returned to college as its' first ''Double Veteran." Mary did secretarial work for a local company and Gary again worked part time for National Tea. By the spring of1952 they were expecting. Jan Carol was born that December. Graduating in the spring of '53 with a BA in Business Administration, Gary took a job with 3MM Co. as a Statistics and Standards Analyst in their tape division. They bought their first house with the help of Mary's father. Son David Gary was born in 1956.

Gary competed for and won a job @ 3M in their insurance dept. This was the beginning of his Risk Management and Insurance Career. Kirstin Anne was born in 1959 and the family was complete.

Seeking further advancement Gary took a: job as Director of Insurance & Risk Management for Kimberly Clark Corp. where he was given responsibility for Insurance and Employee Benefits in 1970. Five years later Gary received a job offer from a large Insurance Brokerage Firm (Marsh & McLennan, Inc.) in their Portland, Oregon Branch. This offered the lifestyle he wanted for his family. They built a home on what was once thought to be an unbuildable lot in Lake Oswego. The job did not turn out to be what he wanted and in 1977 began working for Alexander & Alexander, this time selling insurance instead

of buying as he had done previously. In 1983 Gary took a bold step and set up shop as a Risk Management Consultant, which he now considers a bad venture as the Portland market was not ready to adopt this way of dealing with risk of loss.

He became a Risk Management Consultant for the State of Oregon until retiring in 1994.

Mary and Gary enjoyed retirement years taking cruises and playing Golf. By 2004 Gary and Mary moved to SpringRidge while Mary was in the middle stage of yet undiagnosed Alzheimer's. Mary transitioned to SRC and then The Wilsonville where she passed away in early 2007. Gary bought a Condo on a Golf Course in Keizer, Oregon. In late 2007 he remarried a long time friend of 35yrs who be and Mary knew when Gary bought insurance through her husband for Kimberly Clark.

Unfortunately, late in 2008 Jean developed lung cancer and passed away in early 2009. Gary returned to SpringRidge where he states he is great advertising for SpringRidge as he has moved here twice. Gary enjoys SpringRidge as a "Great place to Live!" with Great people and a great staff!

Gary has six grandchildren, three boys and three girls. Daughter Jan worked as a Dental Hygienist in her husbands Dental Office. Son David is an Insurance Broker and handles insurance for about one half of the retirement communities in Oregon.

Daughter Kirstin attended OHSU and also became a Dental Hygienist.

A committal service with military honors for Gary will be held Monday, June 23, 2025 at 9:00 AM at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt Scott Blvd, Happy Valley, OR.