By MIKE HUTSELL
Celebrating the life of a hometown legend
It’s a story you hear over and over again. One of those old tales that makes our state what it is — quite simply the single greatest basketball state in the land.
Just about any small communities all around our state have that one name. We all know him, the guy that everyone, no matter what, can point at and know.
While he or she was never actually voted to the title they unofficially become the face of that community.
In Henryville, that was McKee Munk.
He grew up in Henryville, he played basketball and starred at Henryville High School and he made his life in Henryville where he was buried on Wednesday following his death last weekend. Munk was 75.
“One of his grandkids said to me this week they just don’t see how next season will be the same,” said Henryville basketball head coach Perry Hunter this week. “I could only say I’m not sure it will ever be the same.”
The name was almost as iconic as his presence on the sideline on game night in Furnish Gymnasium. McKee Munk was a mayor of sorts in the Hornet hoops community.
Always quick with a handshake and a smile, Munk probably wouldn’t even need toes to count the number of games Henryville hoop games he missed in his lifetime.
Heck, it was a pretty safe bet to say if McKee Munk wasn’t there, then the team just might not be either. The longest-tenured school-bus operator for West Clark Community Schools, Munk gladly accepted the task of getting the Hornet basketball teams to and from their game-night destinations.
“He never asked for a dime when he did that,” said Hunter. “Every game, all you could do is say thanks and he was satisfied.”
McKee Munk grew up the son of Homer and starred on game night in his high school career, ascending to the school’s all-time scoring leader by the time he graduated in 1951 — a record he held for more than 40 years until it was broken by Greg Robertson in 1994.
Munk was home in Henryville, he never saw the reason to really leave. He married his high school sweetheart Christena — she was the cheerleader, he was the hoops star — the fit was natural.
The couples’ two children — daughter Robin and son Jay — went to Henryville. Same as their six grandchildren — Amanda, Jared and Shallon Hill and Cory, Cody and Cady Munk. There’s little doubt where his only great-grandchild, Gracie, will spend her first day of school when the time arrives.
As his youngest grandson, Cory, played his final games as a senior for the Hornets in March. It ended an era where four generations of Munks to play with the family name.
“I’ve been around and asked a lot of other schools if they have had that, four generations of players at the same school with the same last name,” Hunter said. “No one has been able to think of it. I’m sure it exists somewhere else, but it still is a pretty neat thing to see.”
The family’s final day with McKee Munk perhaps best showed his value to the members of his hometown.
As the family left Henryville Community Church to travel — appropriately enough — by school bus to his graveside service at Mount Lebanon Union Cemetery, they were greeted by the faces of students who lined alongside the roadway near the school to wave goodbye.
“I don’t really think anybody expected to see it,” Hunter said. “But it probably perfectly showed the level of respect everyone here had for him.”
Contact Mike Hutsell at mike.hutsell@newsandtribune.com.
