Deacon John B. Munden, Sr.

Obituary For Deacon John Baptist Munden, Sr.

Our beloved John was born December 15, 1948, in Princess Anne County, now known as Virginia Beach, Virginia.  He was the baby boy born to his loving parents Hearld Sinclair Munden and Eva Estelle Lawrence-Munden. On Friday, July 25, 2025, John quietly completed this earthly journey, at the direction of God, our Heavenly Father, who is too wise to make a mistake.

John accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at an early age and joined Little Piney Grove Baptist Church.  He was an active and devoted member for many decades.  He absolutely loved the LORD and was a student of the Bible.  He enjoyed good preaching, often standing, clapping, rocking back and forth and laughing out loud, while God’s Word was being delivered.  John was active in various aspects of ministry including the following: Deacon’s Ministry, Sunday School, Choir Ministry, Bible Study, Vacation Bible School, Benevolence Ministry, and Men’s Ministry.  He served as Superintendent of Sunday School at Little Piney Grove as well as Superintendent of the Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and North Carolina Church School Union #1. John answered the call to support the church through stewardship, often going above the call of duty in tithes, offerings, and donations to church ministries and charities.

John was educated in Princess Anne County Schools and graduated from Union Kempsville High School in the Class of 1966.  After graduation, he attended Norfolk State University.  It was during this time that he met and married his sweetheart, and the love of his life, Katherine Lowery-Munden.  God later blessed this union with two wonderful children, Michelle and John-John.  God blessed their Holy Matrimony for fifty-seven years. As a young adult, John became an entrepreneur.  He established Munden’s Inc. and later KAM Trucking.

John was a loving family man, mentor, giver and encourager.  He was devoted to his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws. 

John was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan.  He also enjoyed trucking, fishing, bowling, cooking, swimming, working in his garden and growing vegetables.  He was famous for his sense of humor.  He was the LPG Church comedian.  He loved to share jokes he had heard from people like Mom’s Mabley.  His family and friends enjoyed his showmanship so much, they would ask him to tell the same jokes repeatedly, and everyone would laugh, hysterically.  He was famous for singing gospel songs such as, “Master The Tempest Is Raging,” “Have You Heard Of A City,”  “My Soul Just Couldn’t Be Contented Until I found The Lord,” “Victory,” “Everybody Ought To Praise His Name,” “My God Will Make A Way,” and “There’s A Bright Side Somewhere” (by the Mighty Clouds Of Joy).

John was predeceased by his parents; and three brothers, Bernest Munden, Sr., Clarence Munden, Sr. and Hearld Munden, Jr.  

John leaves to cherish precious memories, his loving wife, Deaconess Katherine Munden; two children, Michelle Munden-Lister (Minister Melvin), and John Munden, Jr.; two granddaughters Chelsea King and Melexis Lister; eight great grandchildren, DeVaughn, Ah’Laina, Rico, Dartrelle, Damari, Eva’Larose, Melvinanthony, and Dallas; three sisters, Earlene White (Pastor Emeritus JC), May Queen Davis, and Joyce Williams; two brothers, Pastor Emeritus George Lee Munden and Elder Dallas Munden (Aurilla); three sisters-in-law, Phyllis Johnson, Reverend Donna Munden and Earlene Munden; brothers-in-law, Sterling Lowery (Deloris) and Henry Lowery (Dee); one godson, Cecil Ricks, Jr.  and a host of family and friends.

We miss him now; our hearts are sore.  As time goes by, we’ll miss him more.  His loving smile and gentle face, no one on earth can fill his place.

Sorrowfully submitted,                                                                                                                                 

   The Family of Deacon John Baptist Munden, Sr.