SCHMUNK, WALTER GEORGE (10 Aug. 1877-9 Oct. 1947) pioneer in the automobile industry, was born in Cleveland, the son of Capt. John and Minnie D. (Arndt) Schmunk and attended public school in the city. His association with the automobile industry dated from 1901 when he joined the automobile department of the White Sewing Machine Co., foreruner of the WHITE MOTOR CO. and stayed there until 1911. He opened a company branch in London in 1902-03 and participated in hill climbing contests in England, Scotland, and France to demonstrate the new automobiles. He then returned to Boston to sell them.
From 1911-14 Schmunk was a salesman at PEERLESS MOTOR CAR CO. While there he designed and built the first fire apparatus for the Automobile Chemical Flying Squadrons of the CLEVELAND FIRE DEPARTMENT. Schmunk then moved to the Brown Auto Body Co. as vice president and developed a motor bus which became a company specialty. He returned to auto sales in the 1930s marketing the Hudson and Cadillac in his brother Robert's car dealership. During WORLD WAR II he served as an executive assistant in the Cleveland ordnance district.
Schmunk married Helen Ceclia Gallagher in Boston 28 Feb. 1905. They had 3 sons, John Robert, Walter G., and William G. Although a resident of CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, he also maintained a farm on River Road in GATES MILLS. Schmunk was buried at LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.