Rudolph J. and Daphne A. Munzer were married on June 29, 1946, eventually building their first home in Fullerton, California. In 1962, with Rudy now President of Petrolane, their family of five, which now included Dan, Anne, and Bill, moved to Long Beach, California. Their home on Virginia Road became the place where special family gatherings were always held.
As Daphne and Rudy became part of the Long Beach community, they reaffirmed their long-held commitment to philanthropy. They established The Munzer Foundation in 1996 and the foundation has been fortunate to be a part of the giving landscape of Long Beach since its inception. Their philanthropic pursuits are rooted in the foundation’s guiding values: Serving Where Needed Most, Children and Youth, Local Communities, Family, Engagement, Effectiveness, and Humility.
Rudy and Daphne believed that education and their catholic religion was paramount in their philanthropic efforts. Rudy was President and Chairman of the Board of Petrolane, a Fortune 500 company in the 70s and 80s and one of the largest businesses in Long Beach. He was also President of the Board of Memorial Hospital of Long Beach, member of the Los Angeles County Economy and Efficiency Committee, regional chairman of the United Way, and member of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Committee, and much more.
Daphne was on the board of the Children’s Dental Clinic, and an enthusiastic supporter of the Long Beach Public Library. Long Beach Memorial Hospital, St. Mary Hospital, The Long Beach Museum of Art, The Aquarium of the Pacific, The Long Beach Library, Children’s Day Nursery, St. Anthony High School, Long Beach Boys and Girls Clubs, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Long Beach Symphony were only some of the organizations that their foundation was honored to help support.
Rudy passed away in May 2000, and Daphne and their three adult children, Daniel Munzer, Anne Bourne, and William Munzer (deceased November 2, 2010) continued to guide the family foundation. Daphne passed away in April 2015. In 2016, Rudy and Daphne’s adult grandchildren, Dana Bourne, John Bourne, Kirsten Bourne, Daniel Munzer, James Munzer, Jeffrey Munzer, Elizabeth Munzer, and Nicole Munzer joined the family foundation.