(STURGIS) – A long time Sturgis High School coach and guidance counselor has passed away.

Bernard “Budd” Munson died Thursday, September 29 at his home on Klinger Lake at the age of 86 following a battle with cancer.

Munson was born in Rockford, Illinois, but moved to Constantine where he graduated with the Class of 1954. He received a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree in Education and General Administration from Western Michigan University before returning to Constantine were he was a teacher, guidance counselor and Athletic Director. He also coached football, basketball and baseball for the Falcons.

Munson later took at job with Sturgis Public Schools where he was a guidance counselor at Sturgis High School. For many years during the summer, he was also a driver’s education instructor.

While at Sturgis High School, Munson also coached football, baseball and basketball. In 1972, he established the first girls tennis team at Sturgis and turned the program into one of the most dominate in the State. He coached the Lady Trojans for 27 years and when he stepped down as coach, he had a record of 311 wins and 15 losses. He also coached the boys tennis team for three years and when he finished he had a record of 85 wins and 16 losses.

As tennis coach for Sturgis, Munson’s teams won 16 Twin Valley Championships and 9 Regional Championships. His 1989, 1990 and 1991 teams were all State Runner-Up.

Munson was named the Class B Girls Tennis Coach of the Year in 1980. He was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall Of Fame in 1990; the Michigan Tennis Coaches Hall Of Fame in 1993; the Sturgis Athletic Hall Of Fame in 2011, and the Constantine Coaches Hall Of Fame in 2019.