John Muntean

OBIT for The Air Force Times.

AIR FORCE TIMES

Lt Colonel John V. (Lou) Muntean passed away on February 28, 2022 in Aurora, Colorado at the age of 92.

He was born in Youngstown, OH in 1929 to the late John and Maria (Filimon) Muntean. He was the youngest of five children. Sisters Victoria (Barbulescu) and Mary and a brother Sam, all from Youngstown, preceded him in death. A sister, Helen Dendiu, from Hilliard, OH survives him.

He grew up in Youngstown and was educated in its school system. He later began his college career attending the then Youngstown College and achieved three undergraduate and two graduate degrees.

In 1952, he enlisted in the USAF and entered the aviation cadet program at Ellington AFB, TX. He was in the B36/47 aircraft observer program which consisted primarily of navigation, radar and bombardment skills. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in October 1953 and completed his training in March 1954.

His first operational assignment was as a combat crew member to the 99th Bomb Wing at Fairchild AFB, WA which flew the RB36 aircraft. Two years later he transferred to the 92nd Bomb Wing also stationed at Fairchild AFB just prior to his entering B52 training. His crew completed training in the spring of 1957. He remained a combat crew member in the B52D aircraft when his entire squadron was transferred to Larson AFB, WA.

In 1965 he was assigned to the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, AL. Upon graduation in 1966, he was assigned to ADC as a computer programmer in the SAGE system. A year later he was "recalled to the cockpit" and left for training in the B-66 aircraft at Shaw AFB, SC with subsequent transfer to Southeast Asia.

His tour of duty in Southeast Asia lasted from June '68 until June '69. He flew 109 combat missions over Vietnam. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, his first Meritorious Service Medal among many more awards.

Upon his return from SEA, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command Headquarters in Omaha, NE as Force Control Division Commander. Once his tour was complete there, he was assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, ND where he became the wing Director of War Plans. His final assignment was in the 2nd Communications Squadron in ADCOM at Buckley AFB/Lowry AFB, CO. He retired here in Aurora, CO and remained here until his death.

He married the former Carol R Hynes in Spokane, WA in 1959. They had five children: John, Lisa, Michael, Steven and Christopher and six grandchildren. Carol preceded him in death in 1987.

Services were private. Burial was in the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO. Arrangements were made by the Horan and McConaty funeral home in Denver, CO.

OBIT for Denver Post.

DENVER POST

Lt Colonel John V (Lou) Muntean passed away on February 28, 2022 in Aurora, CO at the age of 92.

He was born in Youngstown, OH in 1929 to the late John and Maria (Filimon) Muntean. He was the youngest of five children. Sisters Victoria Barbulescu, and Mary and a brother, Sam, preceded him in death. A sister, Helen Dendiu, from Hilliard, OH survives him.

He grew up in Youngstown and was educated in its school system. His first college attendance was at the then Youngstown College. He later achieved three undergraduate and two graduate degrees.

He enlisted in the USAF in 1952 and entered the aviation cadet training program, graduating as a Second Lieutenant. He spent most of his career in the Strategic Air Command. He was a crew member in the B-36, B-52 and B-66 aircraft. He flew 109 combat missions in Southeast Asia and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals and his first Meritorious Medal among many others.

He married the former Carol R Hynes in Spokane, WA in 1959. They had five children: sons John, Michael, Steven and Christopher, and one daughter, Lisa. Carol passed away in 1987.

Services were private. Burial with military honors followed in Fort Logan National Cemetery. Arrangements were made by the Horan and McConaty Funeral Home of Aurora, CO.

OBIT for Youngstown Vindicator.

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO VINDICATOR

Lt Colonel John V Muntean passed away on February 28, 2022 in Aurora, CO at the age of 92. Services were private. He was born in 1929 in Youngstown, OH, the son of the late John and Maria (Filimon) Muntean and lived here in Youngstown until 1952 when he entered the United States Air Force (USAF). He was the youngest of five children. His older siblings were sisters Victoria (Barbulescu), Mary, and Helen (Dendiu), and brother Sam. Only Helen (of Hilliard, OH) survives.

He grew up in Youngstown attending McGuffey and Madison elementary schools before graduating from East High school in 1947 where he was inducted into the National Honor Society. One of his prized possessions was the varsity letter he received for baseball.

He loved his USAF career. He enlisted in 1952 and entered the aviation cadet program in Houston, TX where he began his flying training. He graduated as a Second Lieutenant in 1953 and began his first operational tour of duty in April 1954 at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA. His assignments were widespread after that. He was stationed in Washington, California, North Dakota, Guam, Thailand, The Philippines, Mississippi, Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, New York, Nebraska and finally Colorado where he retired in 1980 and remained until his death.

His first years were as a combat crew member in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) on the B-36 aircraft for three years and B-52 aircraft for eight years. He served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam conflict where he flew 109 combat missions in the B-66 aircraft. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals and the Air Force Commendation Medal among many other awards. He achieved the the aeronautical rating of Master Navigator. In later years he served in several management positions and as a division commander at the SAC Headquarters in Omaha, NE.

During and after his USAF career, he continued his pursuit of higher education by earning three undergraduate degrees, the first of which was from the then Youngstown University and two graduate degrees in business, one with emphasis in management and the second in managerial finance. In 1982, he completed one of his undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance and then went on to achieve his Colorado Certified Public Accountant Certificate in 1984 which he later converted to inactive status. He began teaching in 1982 and as a college instructor he taught various business and math courses for thirteen years.

He was a very big fan of the Cleveland Indians and Browns. He had followed the Browns from their first game ever in the Akron Rubber Bowl in 1946. He began following the Indians the year that Bob Feller made his major league debut. He got his nickname "Lou" because Lou Boudreau was his favorite player. When he moved to Denver, he followed the Indians in Tucson, AZ, but after they moved to Winter Haven, FL in 1993, he retired from all activities and began spending March of each year in Florida at Spring Training.

In 1959, he married the former Carol R Hynes in Spokane, WA and they had five children, all now living: John (Ellen) in Orlando, FL; Lisa (Brian) in Byers, CO; Michael (Laurie) in Centennial, CO; Steven in Aurora and Christopher (Jennifer) also in Aurora. There are six grandchildren; Alexandra and Carter (John); Bryan (Lisa); Jonathon and Anne Marie (Michael) and Quincy (Christopher). Carol passed away in 1987 ten years after having one of the more successful kidney transplants of that period at the University of Colorado Hospital.

A lifelong catholic, as a youth he served as altar boy, much later an active participant in several parish councils where he served as president on occasion, and, until his death, he was a Lay Eucharistic Minister. He was a member of all military churches wherever he lived.

He was a member of The Youngstown State Alumni Association, Military Officers Association of America, Air Force Association and Colorado Children's Hospital among others.

Funeral services were private. Interment was at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO. Arrangements were made by Horan and McConaty Funeral Home of Aurora, CO.