Everett Mundy, a cable pioneer lauded by friends for his role in launching others into high-profile industry careers, died of cancer in Pennsylvania June 29 at the age of 79.
His death ended a 38-year partnership with Bob Tudek, with whom Mundy started Tele-Media Corp. in 1970 with 386 customers.
"He was a legendary character, no doubt about that," Tudek said last week, noting that throughout their entire partnership, the two never had a serious argument. Mundy had an attention to detail that extended even to his obituary: the cable executive hand-wrote the story that appeared in the Centre Daily Times
in State College, Pa., Tudek noted.
"He wanted to be a better person, and he worked at it," his longtime partner said. "He was the kind of guy who trained a lot of people who went on to bigger and better things in this industry."
One of those who benefited from Mundy's tutelage was Matt Polka, president of the American Cable Association.
"Tele-Media was the first company I ever worked for," Polka recalled. "Mr. Mundy and his partner … gave me my start in learning about this great business, where I have made a career. The cable industry has lost one of its best and kindest friends."
Tele-Media grew to 500,000 subscribers at one point before spinning off systems to Tele-Communications Inc. in 1984, and other systems to Time Warner/Fanch One Co. in 1996. Currently, the company has a joint venture with Adelphia Communications Corp. to operate several East Coast cable systems, according to its corporate Web site.
Mundy is survived by his second wife, Louise; three children, two stepchildren, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
