Judith West Munson, 1941-2020. With heavy hearts filled with love, we announce the passing of Judith W. Munson, wife of Lester Munson, Jr., mother of Lester Munson III and Max Munson, mother-in-law to Julie (Schaljo) and Marcela (Vanzurova), grandmother of Jonas, Max Jr., Annika and Veronika. She passed quietly in her sleep this past weekend after a ten-month battle with lung cancer.

Judy could talk with anyone about any topic.  She entertained, she convened, she lifted up, she organized, she led, she designed, she thought big thoughts, she got things done.  She raised two very lucky men, adored and challenged four fortunate grandchildren, and was the foundation, inspiration and superstructure for her husband of 55 years.

While her death is acutely difficult for those she left behind, we cannot help but celebrate her life in every moment. She never gave up on anyone from her family, friends, and colleagues, to her final medical team.   In her last days she was inspired in part by the idea that her health challenges could lead to the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her innovative and cutting-edge oncologist.

Judy was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, and went to high school in Miami, Florida. She spent a summer in Izmir, Turkey, as an exchange student, building relationships that lasted for decades. She earned a scholarship to the University of Chicago and was the first person in her family to attend college.  In Hyde Park, she met and married Lester Munson, Jr. and had two boys: Les III and Max.

Despite being a good student at a rigorous college, she was rejected for admission by Chicago-Kent School of Law because she was a young mother.  She ferociously fought the rejection and was admitted, only to find that she was one of a handful of women at the school – and that there was no women's restroom at the urban campus.

She worked for many years in public health law, at the local, state, national and international levels. She sought and won many leadership positions in her field. Her work in 2005 helping to revise and improve the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization is pertinent today as nations seek to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to her public health work, she spent many years as a private citizen/public diplomat promoting the bilateral relationship between the United States and the Czech Republic, the home away from home of her grown son Max.  She brought the Ryba Christmas Mass, a classic and spectacular Czech musical work, to Chicago in 2012 and again in 2014 at the Chicago Temple – First United Methodist Church, under the direction of Erik Nussbaum, the church's musical director. She arranged other cultural exchanges between the two nations and worked with the Bohemian Lawyers Association, the Chicago-Prague Sister Cities Committee, and the Czech-American Law Institute.  Her volunteer efforts enhanced the already strong Czech-American relationship and were also a testament to what a single individual can achieve in international affairs.

Judy taught public health and the law at Chicago-Kent School of Law, the John Marshall Law School, Benedictine University and the University of Illinois Medical School in Rockford.

She was a member of The Fortnightly Club, the Economic Club of Chicago and the Chicago Temple First United Methodist Church, where she held a number of volunteer positions and organized a senior women's group that made a number of contributions to the life of the church.

In addition, she was a culinary innovator, inventing her own dishes such as Turkish Tacos and Judy's Cheese Crisp, not to mention the internationally famous Grandma Judy's Carrot Cake, a popular restaurant dessert in Prague for over 26 years.  She spent several years baking breads that made your mouth water. She could provide a homemade meal for a dozen guests and also drive the conversation for several hours, covering topics from local politics to international developments to cultural events. She left sports to her husband, Lester.

Judy had a remarkable talent for architectural design.  She planned the interior of her final home along the north branch of the Chicago River, an iconic river cottage originally built by the famous Chicago architect Harry Weese. She also designed and built a cabin on Great Averill Pond in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont that featured a conversation pit, a spiral staircase, a sleeping loft and a secret balcony that was the talk of the area for many years.

Her fashion sense was world class.  She was able to wear designer formal wear and also find treasures on discount at Marshall's dress for less.  Her gifts of outfits to her daughters-in-law and granddaughters were invariably met with gasps and great affection.

Above all else, she added energy and positivity to any social occasion.  If you were fortunate enough to speak with her at a dinner or a party or a cultural event, she made you feel that the sky was the limit and you could achieve great things.  She elevated everyone around her in ways upon which many of us are still reflecting.  While her loved ones miss her very much, we also celebrate the impact she had on our lives, our community and the world.

Service Saturday, July 31, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church at The Chicago Temple, 77 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602.

Charitable donations to the following two Chicago institutions in Judy's name are encouraged:

- Chicago Temple First United Methodist Church

- Friends of Maroon Athletics (University of Chicago)

For further information please call 312-421-0936.