Dr. Samuel James Mungo

Samuel (Savario) James Mungo, 85, died peacefully at his home on April 20th, 2023, with his loving wife of 63 years by his side. Both have been long time residents at the Village of Incarnate Word Retirement Community in San Antonio, Texas, where Sam lived at the time of his death.

Sam was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 26, 1938. He was the oldest child and only son of Samuel James and Grace “Ray” Mungo.

Sam graduated valedictorian from Cornwall High School in New York, and was the first in his family to attend college. He received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education at New Paltz State Teachers College (now SUNY New Paltz) in 1960. He went on to get his master’s degree at Hofstra University and his doctorate in curriculum and instruction at New York University (NYU), all while raising a young family and teaching in New York’s inner city schools. He met his beautiful wife Sharon while they were both in college, and together they led a life of hope that you CAN make this world a better place. You only have to look at Sam’s time on this earth to understand how deeply committed he was to making a difference. He lived and breathed a passion that is difficult to put into words.

While teaching in New York City in the early 60’s, Sam realized how unprepared he was to teach students who were culturally different than him. This is when he found his “true north” and launched a career specializing in multi-cultural education, a career that would last a lifetime and inspire countless students and teachers.

He moved his family from New York to Illinois in 1968 and began what would become a 30 year career as professor at Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal, Illinois. Determined to find a way to help teacher candidates understand the challenges they would face, Sam started the Peoria Project, a first of its kind student teaching program designed to immerse students in inner city schools and agencies, and help them prepare to teach kids that didn’t look like them. The program was a huge success. In the mid 1980’s Sam knew he needed to expand the program so his students could experience first-hand what it’s like to be in the minority. Creating an agreement with Hawaii’s Department of Education in Honolulu, Sam developed a semester long program in Hawaii where students learned how to instruct across differences. The students flourished. This program continued with Sam’s guidance even after his retirement. “You have to be able to understand others to help them learn” he would say. As a result of his work, Sam was selected as the first recipient of the Strand Diversity Achievement Award. In addition, the Dr. Savario J.Mungo Endowed Scholarship was established at ISU to honor him at his retirement, and to ensure his legacy continues.

Sam was a man of deep faith, and in 1990, his faith journey led him to Contemplative Outreach, a spiritual network of individuals in small faith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel. Sam was a participant and then a board member of the organization. He was a student of Centering Prayer, and later became involved in the organization’s prison ministry, teaching Centering Prayer to inmates inside maximum security prisons in both Texas and Illinois. He felt a special attachment to the inmates. But then again, he was always the helper. It didn’t matter the audience. Sam approached teaching with a style so dynamic and inspirational, it was not surprising people remembered Dr. Mungo long after he left the room.

Life was no different at home. Sam and his wife Sharon built a family reflecting diversity, during a time when it was controversial to adopt across race. But “acceptance” was the mantra in the Mungo house. Sam and Sharon had three adopted children, three biological children, and a foster daughter. Yes it was a loud household and yes they filled up an entire pew in church on Sundays. Sam was a devoted father, always in the front row or the front bleacher to watch his kids in all kinds of activities. From track to basketball, from tennis to theatre, Sam was there. Armed with the best camera he could afford.

In his retirement years, he became an official resident of the Lone Star State, living first in Rockport, and then in San Antonio. He was a member of the Lions Club of Rockport, where he would often drive cancer patients from Rockport to Corpus Christi for their treatments.

Sam is preceded in death by his parents, Samuel J. Mungo, Grace “Ray” Mungo, and his twin sister, who died when she was an infant, Judith Grace Mungo.

Sam is survived by his loving wife, Sharon Flanagan Mungo; his sister, Francine Mongelli;, his seven children, Annmarie Simonson (Jeff), Carolyn Mungo, Sam Mungo (Brigitte), Julie Childs (Lenore Gerig), Joseph Mungo, Tony Mungo, and Wini Scott (Elliott); eleven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Services will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:00pm, at St. Joseph’s Chapel inside the main building of the Village at Incarnate Word Retirement Community, San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dr. Savario J. Mungo Endowed Scholarship at Illinois State University, or The Village At Incarnate Word.

Special thanks to Sam’s devoted wife Sharon who, with every fiber of her being, held up the family while courageously serving as Sam’s primary caretaker for the last 10 years. The family would also like to thank the amazing staff at The Village At Incarnate Word, as well as Sam’s care provider Tanislado (“JR”) Sandoval from Senior Helpers of San Antonio, who never wavered in providing Sam all the respect and love he needed and deserved.

Sam was absolutely our hero. He would want us all to live in hope.