Monica Estelle (Gregory) Monk

Longtime Rio Grande Valley resident, Monica Estelle Gregory Monk, departed this life on October 20, 2022. She was ninety-nine years of age. Born in Jerome, Arkansas on December 4, 1922 to Marion Thompson Gregory and Ophelia McMillan Gregory. She was the granddaughter of the late John Archie and Dovie Susan Malcom McMillan, and Hiram A. Gregory and Laura Thompson Gregory Bates.

Her young childhood was spent in the rural community of Jerome and Little Rock, Arkansas. She attended historic Kramer Elementary School while living in Little Rock. In August of 1931, the Gregory family moved to the Rio Grande Valley, first staying in Santa Rosa with an uncle, Claude Gregory, then to Edcouch where Monica attended a one-room schoolhouse. During the early part of 1935, the family made a permanent move to Harlingen. Monica attended Harlingen High School until her graduation in 1939 at sixteen years of age. In 1940, she attended Santa Rosa School of Nursing, Incarnate Word College in San Antonio. She received her Registered Nursing Degree in June 1943.

After getting her degree, Monica returned to Harlingen where she met young Lieutenant John Thomas Monk, Jr., from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He was an aviator at Harlingen Army Air Gunnery School, called “Huggs”, and had recently received his wings at Moore Field in Mission, Texas. They were married on December 14, 1944 and enjoyed a full life together until his death on December 9, 1999.

Monica served the medical community in Harlingen, first working for Dr. L. M. Davis in a medical clinic. In 1956, she joined the Well Baby Clinic, a public health facility in Lon C. Hill Park. After eight years, she went to work for the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District as a School Nurse. Her retirement came thirty years later in 1993. She continued to substitute until her seventy-fifth birthday!

Monica was an active member of the Masonic Lodge, Order of the Eastern Star, joining in 1948, and installed as Worthy Matron in June of 1973. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Harlingen, as well as a member of the Daughters of the King, and a longtime member of the DuBois Hight Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

Her work, her family and friends, her church and her devout faith brought immense satisfaction to her life. She had a great sense of humor, loved music, reading and visiting with family. Attending special functions with friends was always high on her list. She was truly a Special Blessing to her family, as well as to many dogs, cats, a horse name Babe, and a rooster named Vergie.

Monica was preceded in death by her loving husband; her parents and grandparents; one brother, Donald Marion Gregory; two special aunts, Oida McMillan Michan and Marjorie Estelle Smith; and one very special cousin, Billy Frank Mitcham.

She is survived by a daughter, Susan Irene Rogers, and son-in-law, Henry Lyle Rogers, M.D., of Little Rock, Arkansas; a son, John Thomas Monk, III, and daughter-in-law, Ruth Olson Monk, of Harlingen, Texas. Monica is also survived by her grandchildren, Christopher Lyle Rogers (Elizabeth) and Elizabeth Rogers Conti, of Little Rock, Arkansas; John Thomas Monk, IV (Kathy) of Palo Alto, California, Mary Katherine “Katie” Monk of New Canaan, Connecticut and Ann Marie Monk Pierre (Chantal) of New Braunfels, Texas; great-grandchildren, Grady Rogers and Susana Conti of Little Rock, Arkansas, Sebastian Pierre of New Braunfels, Texas, Kolby, Kooper and Keaton Lee of New Canaan, Connecticut, and Aaron and Maddux Monk of Palo Alto, California.

The family wishes to thank all those who cared for our loved one at Windsor Atrium (formerly known as Retama Manor Nursing Home) in Harlingen, and to the lay ministers of St. Alban’s Church who brought communion. Thank you so much! A special thank you to Helen McLennon of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of Little Rock who visited regularly with our loved one and brought the family communion during Monica’s stays in Arkansas.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 1417 E. Austin Avenue, Harlingen, Texas 78550.

A memorial service will take place Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home. A graveside service and interment will be at Mount Zion Cemetery, Lincoln County, Monticello, Arkansas at a later date.

Click the link below to view a livestream of the memorial service.

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