John William McMunigal, 86, of Buchanan, passed away peacefully in his home on June 11, 2020, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
John was born in Elizabethtown, New York, lived and worked in many parts of the country, and travelled all around the world, but for the past 12 years lived on the family farm on the James River outside Buchanan.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Lillian McMunigal, of Media, Pa., and his in-laws, Manley and Louise Fauber, of Lexington.
John had a lifelong interest in aerospace and it began at an early age when he built and flew model airplanes as a hobby. This interest led him to receiving his pilot’s license before he was old enough to drive. John spent many enjoyable years flying small aircraft and gliders across the country.
He received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from La Salle College in Philadelphia and did graduate work at the University of Delaware. Early in his career, John was an artillery officer in the U.S. Army. He then went on to spend most of his career in the aerospace industry, which included travel, both nationally and internationally, and led to many special friendships around the globe.
John will be remembered especially for his love for his family, his kindness to others, meticulous attention to detail, strong moral compass, and for a lifelong passion for reading and learning. In line with John’s interest in challenging himself and learning new things, he spent his retirement years as a beef cattle farmer and grew to love life on the farm surrounded by the beauty of the mountains and the James River. John especially loved afternoons spent in the shade of the Sycamores along the river, watching his grandchildren enjoying their favorite swimming spot.
John was married for nearly 52 years to Marilyn Fauber McMunigal of Lexington. He is survived by Marilyn and their sons, Michael and Michael’s wife, Callie, of Union, W.Va., and Ryan, of Buchanan.
Arrangements were by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington.
