Kerry Lynne Munoz

Kerry Lynne Beese Muñoz, 59, of Pine Beach, NJ passed away unexpectedly on March 5, 2025. 

Kerry was born in Lakewood, NJ and was raised in and spent most of her life in Toms River, NJ. She lived across the country, from California, to Virginia, to south Florida, before returning home to New Jersey where she spent the rest of her life. Kerry worked as a Police Officer in Seaside Park before going to the Department of Defense Police at the Naval base in Lakehurst, NJ. She held an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Ocean County College, and graduated from Toms River High School South in 1983. 

Kerry was empathetic, intuitive, strong-willed, caring, and intelligent. She was street-smart and could see through the lines to finer details, efficiently finding the truth where she needed to. She was an extremely hard worker and spent her free time working at the beach, even in her retirement. Kerry was very funny and could make anyone feel seen or heard, regardless of whether they had just met or if they had known each other for a life time. Her nickname in the police academy was "Wonder Woman," for her ability to do almost anything and her unmatched strength. 

She loved her sports, with her favorites being basketball and volleyball, which both herself and her children happened to play. She liked watching football and baseball. Her favorite team was the Yankees; or whatever team she felt most connected to, which is a resemblance of her fair and supportive character.

She loved the outdoors and especially the ocean. In her youth, she loved to surf on J Street in Seaside Park, skateboarding, and playing sports. Kerry could talk to anyone and connected with strangers from all walks of the earth. She spent a lot of her time taking care of her beloved plants and her yard, often saying that gardening was her peace. 

Kerry loved to draw and was very creative. She had an amazing fashion sense and always knew what to wear, often matching her shoes with her outfits and vice versa. Kerry loved her fine jewelry, wearing primarily gold but often mixed metals, and loved collecting sneakers. She could pull off anything and everything, and looked amazing in whatever she wore. 

Kerry was detail-oriented and loved to cook, clean, create, and stay organized. She loved Italian cuisine, being a strong Italian woman herself, and took pride in her heritage. Kerry was fascinated by other cultures and languages and loved to learn about them. She loved to travel, her favorite places being Florida, the Bahamas, and Hawaii; anywhere with sunny skies, a beautiful beach, and the ocean. 

Kerry is beautiful inside and out. She loved animals and introduced her children to their local wildlife. Kerry loved her dogs, especially her children's childhood dogs Bella and Maxx, who now accompany her in Paradise. She loved her family more than anything and spent many months of her life caring for her parents each and every day. Most of all, she loved her daughter and son more than anything, and loved spending time with them. She lived to care for her children and supported them through anything.

Kerry Lynne Muñoz is survived by her husband of 22 years, Juan Carlos Muñoz, her two children, Brianna Lynne and Preston James, her step-daughter Alissa, her parents Ralph and Marie Beese, her two sisters Karen Beese and Kimberleigh Beese, Kimberleigh's husband Sean Mehrlander, her many extended friends, and the lives of the strangers that she touched. She is pre-deceased by her nephew, Justin Furman, the son of her sister, Karen. 

Visitation for family and friends will be on Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 11:00-1:00pm at Mastapeter Memorial Home, 270 Atlantic City Blvd., Bayville, NJ 08721   

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