Monroe County councilor Cheryl Munson died Tuesday after decades of service to the county. She was 80.
She was surrounded by family and friends, B Square Bulletin reported, after a period of illness that made her unable to attend the county council’s meetings since mid-September. The council postponed its Tuesday meeting.
Munson was elected to her fourth term on the council in November. She moved to Monroe County in 1971 when her husband accepted a job at IU. She later joined IU's Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology, one of only a few women at the time, where she worked until 2021.
Munson started her career in local government in 1994, running for the Indian Creek Township Board of Trustees. She won and served on the board for 16 years.
She volunteered for Planned Parenthood, several Monroe County Community School Corporation committees and county commissions, along with various youth support centers.
David Henry, who was also elected to one of the three county council’s at-large seats last month, wrote he was lost for words in a post on Facebook.
“Before Cheryl Munson was a County Councilor, she was a mom, wife, grandma, and friend,” Henry wrote in the post. “My heart goes out to her family and friends as we lost a great person in our community today. Please keep Cheryl’s family and friends in your thoughts in our time of grief.”
The office of Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson posted on Facebook Tuesday night as well, writing that Munson’s dedication to public service left a lasting impact on Monroe County.
“Her commitment to collaboration and service set a standard for civic engagement that will continue to inspire those who follow in her footsteps—and her legacy will endure through the positive changes she helped bring to Monroe County,” the post read.
The Indiana Daily Student is working to write an obituary for Cheryl Munson. If you have any memories or information about Munson that you would like to share, please contact us at editor@idsnews.com.
