John Kim Munholland, longtime resident of St. Anthony Park and later University Grove, died March 29, 2020. Known to family and friends as Kim, he finally succumbed to a hemorrhagic stroke he had been valiantly fighting since November.
Kim was born in 1934 in Long Beach, Calif. He spent his youth—during the golden years of California—living in the sunshine with his friends sailing, surfing and playing golf. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School with honors, Kim went on to Stanford University where he majored in history. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa, he married his Berkeley sweetheart and Long Beach resident Anne Hazlehurst.
Following their wedding, he and Anne headed to Air Force Officer training in Texas. He was later stationed in Omaha, Neb., as a Photographic Intelligence Officer at the Strategic Air Command base.
After his service, Kim returned to his passion to study history. He received a Ph.D. from Princeton University and then landed a tenure track position at the University of Minnesota in the History Department upon graduation. He specialized in Modern European History with a focus on France during World War II. He and his family spent many years on various research opportunities living in France.
After formal retirement, Kim continued his research and academic life. His most recent interests included the relations between France and the Americas in the South Pacific. He was a teacher at the University of Minnesota for the Honors and Continuing Education Programs until just prior to his stroke, as well as a resident scholar for Smithsonian Tours, most recently on two tours in France this past September.
Kim is survived by his wife of 63 years Anne, son Chris (Krissy), daughter Sophie (John Porter) and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Earl and Dorothy Munholland. Private family burial with memorial services to be announced.
