Randy Cordova

The Republic | azcentral.com

Bittersweet news for Phoenix TV watchers: One of the Valley's most likable personalities, Channel 10 (KSAZ) main weather anchor Dave Munsey has announced that he will retire after 42 years at the station.

“I wanted to retire while I was still good-looking, but since I missed that boat, I decided to do it before I turned 70," Munsey said in a statement released on Thursday afternoon. "But seriously, I’ve lived my version of the American dream. I have a wonderful family and friends, a job I love and enjoy each day, and I got to choose to retire and give up the time restraints and control that others have over me so I could give that control to one person — my wife.”

Doug Bannard, vice president of news at Fox 10, was a little more sober in his statement.

"Dave is part of the fabric of this community," Bannard said in the release. "Over the last 41 years he has truly made an impact on the lives of people living all over the Valley. We will miss Dave, his sense of humor and his dedication and wish him the best as he starts this exciting new chapter of his life.”

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Munsey's 42-year run at Channel 10 is the longest stretch at one channel for any news personality currently on the air in the Valley. But besides sheer longevity, the former disc jockey deserves applause for his remarkable water-safety campaign, in which he reminds viewers to "watch your kids around water." That emerged as his catchphrase, and he has devoted much off-camera time to giving talks on water safety and handing out pamphlets and coloring books.

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The long-running campaign wasn't merely a bit of clever public relations on Munsey's part. A friend of his lost a child in a drowning accident. The child who died had been supervised by another youngster. Then the first person who reached the child didn't know how to administer CPR.

"So many people's hearts get broken and they will never be repaired again," Munsey told The Republic in 2015. "It's the saddest thing in the world to lose a child, and it often happens over some stupid little thing that didn't need to be done, like a parent went to answer the phone. That's one thing I'd like to wipe out."

Munsey always has projected an easy, unforced middle-America warmth. He hails from North Dakota and easily connected with viewers. Some were drawn to his folksy humor; others to his immaculate personal style. With his crisp white shirts and ever-present high-end cowboy boots — he once teased former Channel 10 anchor Rick D'Amico about wearing "cheap boots" — Munsey always cut a distinctive figure. But, never an imposing one.

MORE:Rick D'Amico says goodbye to Channel 10

"For the most part, people are good to me," Munsey said in 2015. "When someone from TV walks in the room, people may go. 'That's so-and-so over there.' I walk into the room and it's, 'Hi Dave! How are you doing?' People are comfortable with me. After all these years, that makes me feel good."

Munsey, who will turn 70 on Sept. 20, announced the news on the station's 5 p.m. broadcast on Thursday, April 20. His last day will be June 1.

The station has tapped Kristy Siefkin, weekend weather anchor, to take over for Munsey upon his retirement. But those will be some big boots to fill.

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Reach the reporter at randy.cordova@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8849. Twitter.com/randy_cordova.