Michael John Munkres

Michael John Munkres was born on August 19, 1953 in La Mesa, Calif. to Robert and Margorie Munkres. One of five children, Mike was preceded in death by his mother Margorie, his father Robert, and his brothers Steve and Jim, and is survived by his twin sister Sue (Smith) and his brother Del.

Mike lived a full and meaningful life marked by his independent and adventurous spirit. After his family moved to Federal Way, he graduated from Federal Way High School in 1972, where he formed lifelong friendships with many of his classmates. They remained his best friends throughout his life, traveling to meet regularly and always in communication.

While attending high school, he began working evenings and weekends at the Shorline (now Anthony’s) restaurant on the Gig Harbor waterfront with one of his classmates. It was at the Shorline where he met his future wife Julie King (nee Filbert). Mike and Julie started dating several years later, and in 1975 adventured together on a months-long backpacking trip that took them by land from Washington State through Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama.

Mike and Julie married in 1978 and moved to Glen Cove on the Key Peninsula. They welcomed their first child, Kyle, in 1979, and daughter Sarah in 1981. They quickly outgrew their home on Glen Cove, and moved to another neighborhood on the Key Peninsula when son Matthew was born in 1982 before ultimately settling in Rosedale.

Mike took his first commercial fishing job on the Oregon City out of Gig Harbor shortly after graduating from high school. This grew into a career that took him up and down the west coast from Dutch Harbor, Alaska to San Pedro, Calif. He ran the Veteran (Gig Harbor), worked in the winters fishing in the Bering Sea on the Mark I, and was a deck boss on a large commercial processor, the Ocean Pheonix. In the mid 1990s, he began running purse seiners from Gig Harbor, eventually purchasing the fishing vessel Legend and fishing for salmon in southeast Alaska during the summers, Puget Sound in the fall and squid fishing in California during the winters. Southern California, with its sunny skies and blue waters, was his favorite place to fish.

In the early 2000s Mike married Janet Straub and gained another son, stepson Henry Selfors. He continued to fish in Alaska during the summertime, and together he and Janet built a home in Puerto Angel, Mexico where they spent winters and he once again found the warm sunshine that he loved.

Mike had a deep connection with Mexico and the people there, and when he retired he spent the majority of each year soaking up sun and culture and creating lasting bonds with locals and other snowbirds. He was part of a very active poker group that became a tightknit group of friends. He returned to Gig Harbor every summer to spend time with his children, grandchildren, and friends.

Mike’s friends were his family. While he wasn’t fond of crowds or attention, he possessed a natural charm that drew people to him. He was true to his authentic self – as his poker friend would say, “You always got Mike at face value” – and accepted others for who they were. He had many meaningful relationships and developed lifelong friendships. Everywhere he went, Mike naturally built a strong and supportive community of people that loved him. He was known for his wit, his ability to make others feel welcome and comfortable, his relaxed and go-with-the-flow nature, and his innate ability to make people laugh. If he knew you well, he gave you a nickname that he adoringly called you whether you were aware or not.

Mike’s greatest adventure and joy in life was his children: Kyle “Leroy” (Anna), Sarah “Sad Eyes”, Matthew “Scoots” (Angie), and Henry “Dover”, and seven grandchildren (Kaden (Darby), Kylee, Clara, Kennard, Paige, Griffin, and Nickolas), and great-grandchild (Charles). Mike’s love and admiration for each child was clear from the moment they came into his life, through family trips and adventures, many milestones, and fishing in Alaska where he taught each of his children the value of hard work and shared his love of the water.

Mike’s life will be honored through a private ceremony where he will be returned to the sea in his farewell adventure. A Celebration of Life will be held the day prior on Friday, September 11th at 2 pm at the Gig Harbor Eagles.