Thomas Joseph Muench

Thomas Muench of Lake Grove, NY died peacefully on Thursday evening April 18th, 2019. Thomas was born on July 6th, 1938 in Chicago, IL. His family moved to Wilmette, IL where he spent his youth. Tom attended Catholic schools culminating in his graduation from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.

While on a Catholic mission to Europe, Tom discovered his passion for mathematical economics in a library at Heidelberg University in Germany. He returned to the United States to complete his PhD in Economics at Purdue University. After completing his ROTC obligation as one of Robert McNamara’s whiz kids at the Pentagon, he took a position in the University of Minnesota’s Economics department. He then spent a couple of years at the University of Massachusetts Amherst before returning to the University of Minnesota. For over 30 years, Tom found his home at SUNY Stony Brook as Professor of Economics serving as department chair multiple times.

Tom filled his retirement years with much activity. He was a frequent campaigner for Democratic candidates and causes. Tom used his Economics background to do pro bono consulting on housing segregation. One of the activities that gave him great joy was to learn the Irish language and participate in many Irish heritage events.

Tom’s children treasured him for his adventurous spirit and his love of language. They have fond memories of hiking at Quabbin Reservoir in MA, canoeing the boundary waters in northern MN and camping in the Canadian Rockies. Many a Robert Service poem was read around the campfire. His children have inherited his fondness for Steinbeck, Hemingway and Edmond Rostand.

Tom leaves behind his loving wife Chantal Botteman; his daughter Katrine (Phil Herzog), his son Paul (Helen), his son Eric; his grandchildren Eve, Henry (Katrine), Andrew, Karl, Jason (Paul), Ryan and Emily (Eric); his brother Robert (Ruth), his sister Mary Lou, his brother John (Maureen); his nephews and nieces Emily, Patrick, Matthew, Terrence, Elizabeth, Ellen and Kathleen (John)