Moody County Museum director Steve Stunes has resigned and will be done at the end of the month.

Stunes of Madison has been at the museum about six months after starting in July. He replaced Ginger Gaylor.

Bruce Porisch, Moody County Historical Society board president, said Stunes is leaving the 20-hour-a-week job because of medical insurance costs escalating.

“His insurance has gone up so high that he can’t afford to stay at a part-time level,” Porisch said. “We’re going to have to try and replace him as soon as we can.”

The board will meet Tuesday to talk about what to do, he said.

Stunes, 58, said he has enjoyed the job but medical insurance coverage costs don’t work out financially with a part-time position. He is looking at doing consulting work.

“I’ve been having a ball,” said Stunes, who said he took the job because he wanted to use his history degree. “For a town this size, this museum is mind boggling. There’s stuff here that I’ve never seen anywhere else.”

The museum has a Purple Heart, a Civil War musket and tribal artifacts, for example, which are rare to see other than in pictures, he said.

Stunes said the museum and its items are well taken care of, and the board and volunteers offer good support.

“People are involved and that’s a great thing. There’s a lot of community here. Some other places you really don’t see that,” he said. “It’s just been a wonderful group to work with. I would love to stay but I really can’t swing it.”

The museum is open four days a week from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.