Thalia "Lee" (Pagler) Munion

Thalia (Lee) Pagler Munion, age 87, went to be with the Lord on March 20, 2019. From her birth in Boston, MA on January 24, 1932 until her death, she was a light to all who knew her.  She was the only child of Nicholas G. Pagler and Evodia (Yphantis) Pagler of Barrington, RI.

She lived in Sparta, Greece from the ages of 2 to 8 while her parents served as missionaries. The family moved to Peabody, MA just before Greece entered WWII. After high school, Lee attended Boston University and graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.  She worked for several years as a social worker in Ambler, PA before deciding to attend Biblical Theological Seminary in New York City and then Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ, where she earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education.  While at Princeton she met Charles Munion and they were married on March 16, 1957. After graduating from seminary, Lee and Charles moved to Parkland, PA where Charles pastored his first church. Lee was a compassionate woman who always found ways to help those around her.  The skilled wife of a Presbyterian minister, she shared her gifts of leadership, teaching, nurturing and hospitality.  There was always room for another person at the family dinner table.  Lee and Charles had three daughters and lived in Parkland, PA until 1963 when they moved to Worcester, MA where Charles accepted a call as Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Lee was actively involved in planning events, leading Bible studies and women’s groups, singing in the choir and teaching Sunday School. Lee was a Director of Religious Education in Gardner, MA and also a teacher in the Worcester Public Schools.  After 23 years in Worcester, Lee and Charles moved to Litchfield, NH where Lee became an ESL Teacher in the Lawrence Public Schools.  She loved helping many Cambodian children acclimate to the American culture and language.  She retired from teaching in 2003.  She enjoyed expressing her love of creation through art, painting in oils and watercolors.  With a strong musical aptitude and love for melody, she enjoyed playing the piano and singing in various community choirs and choruses. She cherished the many summers she spent with her husband and daughters on Lake Cochnewagon in Monmouth, ME. She opened her heart and home to all her daughters’ friends there, as their “camp” became a community center of laughter and love.  Her life-consuming passion was to follow and share the love of Jesus.

Lee leaves behind her husband of 62 years, Charles, and her daughters and their families, Bonnie (and husband, Ed) Wojcik, Dale (and husband, Mark) Winters, Wendy (and husband, Dominic) King, and her grandson, Benjamin Wojcik. There will be a celebration of Lee’s life on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Barrington Baptist Church, 25 Old County Road, Barrington, RI.  The Munion family extends their deep gratitude to all the staff at Crestwood Nursing & Rehabilitation for their attentiveness and loving care.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Lee’s name to Crestwood Nursing & Rehabilitation, Activities Department, 568 Child Street, Warren, RI 02885.

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