- GILMANTON — Maurice “Monk” Eugene Munsey, went home to God on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, at the age of 92. He joins his deceased wife of 64 years, Gloria; son Thomas “Tommy” (2014) and grandson T.J. Munsey (2016), his siblings and ancestors in Heaven.
Born in Gilmanton on the family farm, Monk was the longest-living Gilmanton male Munsey since the last in the 1700s. Monk was proud that his family was a fifth-generation Gilmantonian with the family centered around Munsey Hill Road, Munsey Brook and the Sawyer Lake area in the Corners.
Monk left Gilmanton two times for extended periods, the first time to join the U.S. Navy in 1943 when he had just turned 17 years old eight days earlier. He served on the U.S.S. Destroyer Boyle as a Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class earning a World War II Victory Medal, American Area Ribbon Medal 1 Star, European-African-Middle Eastern Medal Area Ribbon (1 Star), Asiatic Pacific Arena Ribbon as well as a Commendation for his service.
The second time he left home was when he went to live with his sister in Acton, Maine, and began to romance his future wife, Gloria Roberts.
Monk received an associate’s degree in Accounting from Laconia Commercial College and began working at Scott and Williams in the office. He did not like sitting at a desk and went to work for L.M. Pike and Sons as a “roller man” and worked there for 44 years until his retirement.
Monk was a Lifetime Member of the American Legion Post 1, Laconia, serving various posts within the Legion. You could always see Monk standing honor guard at funerals up into his late 80s.
Monk was a longtime proud Mason, a member of the Springvale, Maine, Lodge No. 190, which he valued greatly.
Through the years he was active in almost everything happening in Gilmanton, whether it be the Fire Department, Snowmobile Club, Old Home Day, 4th of July Association to name a few. Monk was well-known for his 4th of July floats which were always fun to see as well as his great dancing style at dances. One thing Monk loved was to dance the jitterbug.
If someone needed help, Monk was there. In recent years, he could be seen driving around town in his red Jeep Cherokee wagon with the MUNSEY license plate (everyone trying not to look) and twitching his walking cane everywhere he went.
Monk is survived by his grieving family, along with his six remaining grandchildren. Monk was so happy to have lived to see his only great-grandchild.
Interment at Munsey Family Plot, Smith Meetinghouse, Gilmanton.
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1926 - 2018 (92 years)
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