Monica Monk

MONICA MONK

Polk City

Monica Mae Monk, 48, of Polk City, passed away Monday, May 29, 2017, surrounded by her loving family at Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines. A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, June 4, at 2 p.m. at Lakeside Fellowship Church, 1121 W. Bridge Rd., Polk City, with Pastor Hugh Stone officiating. A visitation will follow from 3 to 5 p.m. at the church. A private burial will take place at a later date.

Monica was born Aug. 31, 1968, to Gail and Evelyn (Mino) Petersen in Atlantic, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed in Exira Lutheran Church. She attended and graduated from Exira Community Schools in 1986. Monica then attended the University of Iowa and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. She then worked as an engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration in Kansas City. On assignment in Iowa City in 1992, she reconnected with college friend, Steven Monk, and the couple began dating. They relocated to Montana, where Monica began graduate school at the University of Montana and received a Master of Science degree in natural resource conservation. She joined the Peace Corps in El Salvador as an agroforester. On returning to the states, they moved to Texas, where she worked doing habitat restoration for the Fish and Wildlife Service. On Aug. 28, 1998, they married in Weslaco, Texas. In 2006, Monica and her family moved to Polk City, Iowa, where they have resided and raised their family ever since. In Iowa, she was the state wetland coordinator for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

She belonged to the Polk City United Methodist Church. Monica was very active and full of life. She loved spending time with her family, watching and playing sports, water skiing, snow skiing, travel, camping, hiking, snorkeling, painting, attending her kids' activities, singing, gardening, botany and crocheting.

Those left to cherish her loving memory are her husband, Steven Monk; children, Rio, Maya and Talula Monk; parents, Gail and Evelyn Petersen; sisters, Melody (Michael Blood) Petersen and Michele (Todd) Rausch; brother, Matthew (Dana Coleman) Petersen; in-laws, David and Janet Monk; brother-in-law, David (Kari) Monk; and sisters-in-law, Carol Monk and Terri (Joseph) Gureno.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Monica Monk Memorial Fund.

Fredregill Funeral & Cremation Care in Polk City have been entrusted with the care of Monica and her family.