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Honor the Fallen: Gen. Carl E. Mundy Jr., 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps passes away

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A statement from the Mundy family:

WASHINGTON — Nine months ago the Mundy family experienced the loss of our beloved mother, Linda.  Last Wednesday our father, retired Gen. Carl E. Mundy, Jr, followed her.  While a distinguished Marine and public figure, Gen. Mundy was first and foremost a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Sadly, several months ago he was afflicted by Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare and very aggressive form of cancer that proved too resistant to overcome.  In his final days, he drew comfort from, and expressed heartfelt gratitude for, the hundreds who called and sent a steady stream of cards, letters, and emails.  When he was no longer able to do so, we read to him these thoughts, prayers, and special anecdotes as joyous reminders of the people in his life.  We would like everyone to know that in confronting death, he modeled the courage, grace, charm and effortless sense of humor that characterized his life.

His children cannot thank everyone enough for the heartfelt support they have received over the past year, especially in these last several weeks.  The thoughts and prayers of so many have sustained the entire Mundy family as we faced our father’s final challenge together.

While we appreciate that there may be further media interest regarding our father, this is the Mundy family’s only public statement.  We sincerely request that you respect our privacy and allow us to deal with this difficult time in solitude.

Editor’s note: General Mundy was my neighbor. He was a kind man frequently stopping to chat while walking his dog through the neighborhood. He always made time to speak to everyone. He was a “Marine’s Marine” by every count of the phrase. He was born July 16, 1935 and passed away April 2, 2014. Semper Fi sir.

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